GLEVUM CROWNED GLOUCESTERSHIRE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Picture above:  (left) Tim Watkins, Managing Partner of the Award sponsors, Randall & Payne and Gary Jones (right).

Glevum, the Gloucestershire based window, door and conservatory installer has won the prestigious Business of the Year Award in the Gloucestershire Business Awards run by Trinity Mirror.

Gary Jones received the award in front of nearly 1,000 people at the Awards Dinner which was held at Cheltenham Racecourse. The Gloucestershire Business Awards is the biggest set of regional business awards in the country and the Business of the Year category is the most coveted of the awards.

Gary Jones commented:  “We are absolutely delighted to have been crowned Business of the Year. We had our best year ever last year. This was largely down to the hundreds of people who chose Glevum for their new windows, doors or conservatories. It means everything to us when people entrust us with what is a very important purchase to them.

All of this of course would not be possible without the efforts and dedication of our staff, who I would like to dedicate this award to”.

Glevum was started in Gloucester by Gary Jones in 1984, since which it has improved over 40,000 peoples’ homes. The firm hit national headlines in the 1990’s with its marketing campaign “The Class behind the Glass”, which featured Melinda Messenger and helped launch her career. The firm is no stranger to awards having previously won the UK Conservatory Company of the Year Award, New Build Conservatory Company of the Year and Gary himself picked up a Young Businessman of the Year Award.

Glevum based near Newnham on Severn, install high quality UPVC windows, doors and conservatories for homeowners in Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties. Glevum also install windows, doors and conservatories for new house builders across the country, including David Wilson, Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Croudace.

Picture above: Envisage, Flush Casement Window

Leading UK Fabricator Conservatory Outlet has officially launched its new flush casement window – Envisage – to its exclusive Network of retail partners.

From October 2017, the Envisage window will be manufactured within the 60,000 sq ft Wakefield based plant and is a welcome addition to Conservatory Outlet’s collection of superior home improvement products; allowing its network of retail partners to offer a stylish, modern twist on the traditional ‘timber-look’ flush frame.

The Envisage flush casement window boasts simple, clean lines, authentic proportions and with opening lights that do not stand proud of the frame; whilst also exceeding the exceptional performance, security and insulation demands of the 21st century.

The new addition is available in a range of both traditional and contemporary colours including Olive Grey (exclusive to Conservatory Outlet retail partners), and hardware to suit any style of property.

Capable of achieving a WER of A+ and U-Value of 1.2., Envisage also boasts the Conservatory Outlet “Secure It” locking system for ultimate security, which connects with the full length of the window for impenetrable strength.

Conservatory Outlet claims a continuous reel of year-on year growth, and attributes much of its success to its innovative and growing product portfolio; which enables its retail partners to source a vast assortment of products from one trusted supplier.

Managing Director at Conservatory Outlet, Michael Giscombe explains: “Heritage-look products that boast modern performance features are faring exceptionally well in the market at the moment.

“The Envisage flush casement window caters to this demand perfectly, offering a high quality flush window at an affordable price, in a range of colours and hardware styles.

“We always strive to offer our customers the most technologically advanced products on the market and we’re proud to add this latest string to our bow. Envisage is a fantastic product and I’m really pleased to be adding it to the Conservatory Outlet portfolio.”

Apeer is now offering Yale’s Conexis keyless smart door lock as an option across the full range of its composite residential doors.

Yale Conexis allows homeowners to operate a door remotely or directly without keys, unlocking and locking doors using app enabled smart phones, key cards, tags or phone tags. With all functions controlled via the Conexis app the user can 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. To unlock a door with direct access, the user simply presents their smart phone to the lock to activate the Bluetooth function, and then twists the device through 90 degrees to release the door.

The Conexis lock is said to work 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.

The post Apeer doors get smart appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Image Above: Inside the main CMS Window Systems manufacturing facility near Glasgow, one of the new Stuga machines commissioned to increase production capacity.

CMS Window Systems has made a substantial investment at its main Castlecary factory near Glasgow to increase its operational capacity and create a solid platform to service its growing trade and domestic windows and doors market.

The company, which is one of Scotland’s largest window, door and curtain walling designers, fabricators and installers, has commissioned and installed two new state-of-the-art Stuga ZX5 PVC cutting & prepping machining centres, doubling the overall number to four, as part of a planned programme of expansion to increase capacity.

CMS, which is already a market-leader in the Scottish social housing and new build markets, is experiencing growing demand from trade customers who value high quality products, with excellent green credentials, backed with the confidence of buying from a reliable supply chain partner. The CMS brand has become synonymous with energy efficient, sustainably manufactured products, from a company renowned for having industry-leading closed-loop recycling processes which have seen it win numerous awards nationally and internationally – including a 2017 Queen’s Award for Enterprise and an International Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice 2017.

In addition to boosting its capacity to produce more windows and doors than ever, the company is establishing a select network of approved retail and trade partners across Scotland. These partners will ensure all customers have a local point of contact who can provide advice and support to ensure the best possible window and door solutions are delivered.

Andy Kerr, Managing Director of CMS Window Systems, says, “We’ve always ensured that our manufacturing processes keep pace with customer demands for outstanding quality windows and doors in short lead times. Our latest investment programme is another step on this path, allowing us to further improve our operational efficiency and capacity, which we know is particularly important as we see rapid growth in our trade and retail customer base.”

CMS Window Systems is one of Scotland’s fastest growing manufacturing businesses. Employing more than 250 people at its 15-acre main manufacturing and recycling facility and HQ in Cumbernauld, together with its branch in Kirkcaldy, the company offers social housing providers, housebuilders, developers, approved retailers, approved trade outlets and main contractors a range of high performance windows, doors and curtain walling solutions designed to maximise energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and deliver comfort for householders and building users.

Find out more at www.cmswindows.com.

Established in 1949 and now manufacturing more than 8,000 sealed units every week, Norfolk-based Ecoglass Ltd is an independent glass supplier that knows how important consistent quality is for sustainable growth. Now in the 6^th year of their relationship with CENSolutions, the certification and compliance consultancy for the fenestration industry, Ecoglass has in the words of the auditor made a ‘magnificent effort’ in gaining CMS Mark approval in respect of EN1279 (sealed units) and EN12150 (thermally toughened glass) requirement standards.

Ecoglass Director, Gaby Mendham comments: “With over 60 years’ experience within the glass industry, we have continued to adapt to an ever-changing market to continue, but one thing that has never changed is our commitment to providing the highest quality products. At Ecoglass, our mantra is ‘not all insulating glass is created equal’. This is borne out by the fact that we ensure we only use the highest quality components available within the market. All of the components used, especially the glass types, have evolved over the years giving the consumer much wider choice and greater options. Ensuring that we are at the forefront of new glass technologies means that we can provide our customers with the perfect unit for their needs.

“The team from CENSolutions has always been a great fit for us, ensuring that we constantly keep up to our own high standards through regular audits. We are very pleased to achieve a 100% pass rate. This shows all of the hard work put into our training regime and quality practices within the manufacturing environment have been taken on board by our employees and managers alike. We feel that one of the most important factors is teamwork and having a workforce that cares about our products and our customers is vital to maintaining the high standards we set out to achieve.”

Mike Gaillard, CENSolutions Joint MD adds: “As the results of this latest CMS Mark audit show, Gaby and her team have demonstrated how by by adhering to the rules of the standard and collaborative working with industry specialists like ourselves, they have a sustainable quality regime framework that benefits clients now and into the future. People have the misconception that certification is a headache or just a box to be ticked, but as Ecoglass has shown, taking quality seriously and getting it right really does benefit business performance and ultimately customers.”

For more information on ECOGLASS call 01603 415400 or visit  www.ecoglass.co.uk

For more information on CENSolutions, call 01785 716625 or visit www.censolutions.com

Marketing support is a vital part of any trade partnership these days and Distinction Doors’ offering is the perfect example of what a good package looks like. For Bethaney Larkman, Distinction’s Marketing Manager, one of the elements customers value the most is the company’s Design Boutique. “It’s our in-house graphic design service that helps our customers produce bespoke marketing materials to support their sales processes,” Bethaney explains. “As the industry’s biggest supplier of composite doors, we have a responsibility to ensure our customers are equipped with the support they need to make the most of our door’s market-leading credentials. Our customers find our bespoke graphic design skillset an invaluable service.”

The Design Boutique provides Distinction customers with the reassurance that they’ll be working with experienced graphic designers who understand Distinction’s products and the industry in general so they can produce high quality results. “Our customers are busy people,” comments Bethaney, “our unrivalled marketing support makes life easy and gives our customers professional results they can use to drive sales. Whether it’s a flyer for a special offer, a leaflet that introduces the company or a complete retail or trade brochure that promotes a particular range of products or services, the Design Boutique is on hand to help.”

The bespoke design service sits alongside a suite of stunning marketing literature that showcases what Distinction Doors has to offer. At the heart of the offering are the glossy lifestyle-oriented retail brochures for the Signature and nxt-gen GRP composite door ranges. Both brochures sell the Distinction difference and, says Distinction Doors, demonstrate why the company is the market leader in composite doors. Alongside these brochures is the innovative colour-swatch skin book which uses Distinction’s oak tree woodgrain skins, creating a beautifully authentic appearance to bring the colour and quality to life. It’s an innovation that is helping Distinction customers up and down the country to encourage homeowners to upgrade when it comes to colour.

www.distinctiondoors.co.uk

Leading hardware supplier the Trojan Group are once again witnessing a steady rise in sales for their Stainless Steel hardware range as winter approaches.   This comes as no surprise to the company who has lead the market for some years with their impressive Stainless Steel door furniture range all backed with a 25 year anti corrosion guarantee.

Tony Chadwick, Trojan Group Managing Director, explains, “Hardware finish failure is something that’s constantly on installer’s agendas because it’s increasingly a problem. Quite simply, zinc or aluminium based plated or painted products will corrode sooner or later as a result of salt or acid erosion attack especially if the surface coating is damaged. Cold winters have accelerated the process for many products and this has a detrimental effect to the bottom line.”

As Tony points out, increasing numbers of call outs affect not only your bottom line but also your reputation. Call-outs, replacement costs and reputational damage will all have an impact on your business especially in an economic climate where everyone is still choosing their suppliers carefully.

As a result of this industry problem more fabricators and installers are turning to high grades of stainless steel as the answer. Stainless steel products are extremely durable and more than capable of withstanding the most ferocious of winters without losing their good looks or functionality.

Trojan’s Stainless Steel range provides a complete door hardware solution and consists of door handles, letterplates, numerals, pull handles, hinges, central door knob, escutcheons and door knockers including the popular Slim Urn and Contemporary door knockers. The range has been one of the industry’s biggest success stories of recent years and Tony is clear why: “The Stainless Steel construction means no corrosion and it’s something our customers really appreciate because it puts an end to disappointed homeowners and expensive, time-consuming callbacks.”

Similarly, customers switching over to stainless steel products have found that they have been able to dispense with costly on-site repair teams as the hardware products have not failed.

The Trojan Group’s stainless steel hardware gives all sectors of the market a product with corrosion resistance that allows you to ‘fit and forget’ at highly competitive pricing. So, with winter fast approaching, can your business afford not to use Trojan’s Stainless Steel products?

www.trojangroup.com

Picture above: Christ Alderson, Edgetech UK MD awarding 10 years of partnership to Oakland Glass – Tina Moorhouse & Richard Oakes

Forty of Edgetech’s most valued customers are celebrating ten years of working with the Coventry-based warm edge experts.

As part of an event held earlier this year to mark a decade since Edgetech began manufacturing in the UK, the firm brought representatives from a number of long-standing customers to the stage to present them with a trophy commemorating their relationship.

A special video was also screened that saw Sales & Marketing Director Alan Fielder and Head of Marketing Charlotte Davies interview some of those customers, and learn more about how working with Edgetech has helped their business.

“Our relationship with Edgetech has been hugely beneficial to us,” commented Ian Sims of Double R Glass. “In the fifteen years we’ve been working with them, we’ve never once considered switching to an alternative spacer.”

David Laing of Cleartherm commented: “When I saw a fully-automated line using Super Spacer for the first time, I saw the future. This was in the US in 2006, and at the time we were still running a semi-automated line back home. After seeing that, it wasn’t long before we had a fully-automated line ourselves – and we’ve never looked back.”

Kevin Wheatman of Hurst Plastics commented: “Over the last decade, Edgetech has established itself and Super Spacer as market leaders – and that’s been a massive help to us as a business. Customers know and respect the Edgetech brand, and that means they have more confidence in our products as a result.”

Edgetech Managing Director Chris Alderson commented: “At Edgetech, we strive to build lasting, mutually supportive relationships with our customers – and we’re extremely proud that we can count so many successful businesses as loyal, long-term clients.

“It was fantastic to be able to celebrate those partnerships, and demonstrate our commitment to maintaining and deepening them in the years ahead.”

Watch the full customer interview video online on Edgetech’s website: www.edgetechig.co.uk/1815-2/