AAMA Launches Redesigned Website

Jotika Software are delighted to announce two new appointments in George Lowe (left) and Dan Marsden (right) supporting its continued growth.

Jotika have been at the forefront of sales, production, optimisation and delivery management solutions in the glass industry for thirty years. Over the past four years Jotika have expanded, in the UK, and overseas. This has demanded a complete overhaul of its staffing and training, IT infrastructure and quality assurance procedures – to ensure their high quality of product and service matches their growth.

Brian Gold MD talks about his team “We are proud that Jotika have a low staff turnover, with most of the team being with us for an average of 20 years. This experience makes a huge difference to the progression of the company, products and service. The newest members have been carefully considered for their respective skills, to complement our team.

Dan was taken on in 2016 as Project Manager. Dan has been working in the glass and window industry for over 15 years. He has been heavily involved in production and logistics from an administration perspective; working directly with sales and production software such as Profit Maker, Window Designer, Roof Designer, Evolution and our very own Gtrak3 and OptimiserX software.

He is responsible for managing the implementation of new installations, software modules, lean manufacturing techniques, EDIs, barcode networks, bespoke developments and user training. We have already invested in a “training for the trainer” program. The next phase to is to send Dan on a Prince2 course and exam later this year.

George was taken onboard earlier this year as a Software Engineer. George has an engineering background and experience developing software for finite element analysis. This combination of interactive software and mathematics skills was perfect to develop and progress our Optimiser X and Shape Designer products.”

Both appointments have set the platform for Jotika to continue to produce world class products and services, for a growing global customer base.

The GGF recently commissioned an independent consumer survey and the final results have revealed some useful insights for the Federation and its Members. The Survey conducted by One Poll was sent to 2000 homeowners across the UK who were asked 18 questions covering a range of topics including energy efficiency, competent person schemes and consumer codes. On the release of the survey results, James Lee, GGF Director of Marketing and Communications said, “With all the work the GGF is doing to help consumer facing Members, it seemed logical for the GGF to survey consumers to understand and evaluate their views and opinions. The results have proved both insightful and encouraging.”

The GGF plans to use the results in several different ways.  Firstly, they will be used to support the GGF/MyGlazing.com consumer PR campaign. The survey’s results will also underpin the GGF’s political messages and ongoing activity. In addition, the GGF will use the survey to promote the GGF’s approved Consumer Code to both existing Members and wider industry.   

A selection of the headlines from the survey are listed below:

Energy Efficiency

• 62% of consumers are unaware that more than 20% of heat energy in the home is lost through inefficient windows and doors
• On average, consumers believe only 17% of heat energy in the home is lost through inefficient windows and doors
• 37% are surprised to find that 23% of heat energy in the home is lost through inefficient windows and doors
• 51% of those surveyed say that knowing 23% of heat energy in the home is lost through inefficient windows and doors, makes them consider installing new windows and doors
• 54% of homeowners have energy efficient windows and doors installed
• Almost 75% would consider energy efficient windows and doors important when buying a new home

Consumer Code

• 30% said they have referred to a consumer code when making a purchase.
• 53.5% said they haven’t yet referred to a consumer code but would do in the future.
• 58% said that knowing a company’s ‘Consumer Code of Conduct’ had been approved by a Government-backed body such as the Chartered Trading Standards Institute would influence their purchasing decision
• Only 17% said they have never heard of a consumer code

General consumer views

• 57% would install new windows and doors to increase the value of their home; only 10% would never consider this as a means of increasing value
• 67% of homeowners spent some money on home improvements in 2016
• 62% have heard of a Competent Persons Scheme
• Energy saving tops the list of reasons why homeowners would install new windows, at 35%; 25% say money saving is their first priority, 14% want to keep out noise
• 29% of homeowners will consider making home improvements in the next 18 months
• Of those considering making home improvements in the next 18 months, top of the list of considerations is new windows at 33%
• 58% of homeowners distrust glazing/home improvement companies who contact them unsolicited

The GGF intends to conduct more consumer surveys in future to support myglazing.com content and to help steer the GGF’s future strategies for its support package for the benefit of its consumer facing Members. 

The post GGF consumer survey provides useful insights appeared first on Windows Active Magazine.

Installers and fabricators could be losing thousands of pounds of new business to copycat advertisers who exploit their brand and local reputation, online.

The warning comes from Hants-based home improvement specialist KJM Group, which was targeted by a competitor business, Cheapest Double Glazing.

The company, registered to an address in London, ran a series of Google Ads in April. These used the header ‘KJM Windows – Top Quality Windows and Doors – cheapest-double-glazing.com’.

Mark Pearce, Managing Director, KJM Group, said: “Google ads are the paid-for adverts that appear at the top or the side of your search in Google.

“The ads placed by Cheapest Double Glazing, in our opinion could be very easily confused by homeowners as having been placed by us.

“The use of ‘KJM Group’ in the strapline of the ad means that it’s not unreasonable to suggest that someone could click on it believing that they were being directed to our own website, when in fact they were being completely re-directed to a third-party site.

“We hadn’t registered our company name as a Trademark – something that we have now done – which meant that it wasn’t protected.

“In law and within Google’s own guidelines, Cheapest Double Glazing hadn’t committed an offence leaving us with very little redress, despite what is the very clear and cynical exploitation of our brand.”

The KJM boss is urging any fabricators or installers, which haven’t yet done to register their brands as Trademarks to avoid what he described as the pitfalls of what he described as the ‘Wild West of online advertising’.

Registration of a Trademark gives you the exclusive right to use the mark or authorise someone else to use it, for the goods or services for which it is registered. This includes the legal basis for action against someone who uses it to promote the same or similar goods for which its registered.

This also empowers businesses to seek specific redress from Google. “We’d encourage other business owners in and around Hampshire to learn from our experience. Without Trademark registration, Google won’t remove the ads despite our requests, because in law, no offence has been committed.”

Businesses who have not registered their company names as Trademarks can seek redress in Common Law under ‘Passing-off’ legislation. This puts the onus on the complainant to evidence their use of a brand or business name and the inferred ownership of it from this. “KJM Group was formed and has been trading as KJM Group since 1982”, added Pearce.

He continued: “There are two issues here. One is awareness and the second are loopholes in the law. I’m prepared to hold my hands up and say that we should have registered ‘KJM Group’ as a Trademark.

“We won’t, however, be the first or the last small business to assume that because we registered our business with Companies House, it would give us some control over its use as a business name.

“And while the Trades Description Act offers some protection, it is clear that there are gaps which can be exploited.

“We’d encourage everyone to get registered but will also be taking the points we have made to our newly elected MP.”

To find out more visit www.kjmgroup.co.uk email the sales team on 01264 359355 orsales@kjmgroup.co.uk.

KÖMMERLING used the FIT Show as a platform for the launch of their new, innovative six and seven chambered, 76mm window and door system, offering unrivalled U_f values, Passivhaus levels of performance and other technologies, with a number of PVC-u/aluminium hybrid options also on display.

Given the prominence of the UK market for parent company profine Group GmbH, CEO and owner, Dr Peter Mrosik, visited the stand on day one, eager to meet staff and customers, before heading off for a media interview with several editors. But new products were very much to the fore on the stand, as the German systems giant looks set to further fuel its reputation as a true product innovator in the UK PVC-u systems sector.

To the front of the stand an impressive 6m x 2.5m lift and slide PremiDoor 76, with the pioneering proCoverTec surface finish technology, showcased the emerging sector for large span patio doors and as a means to add water and dirt repellent properties to PVCu profiles. A four-pane PremiLine Pro with Secured by Design status was also on show, which is a patent protected patio door system with unrivalled security credentials, thanks to the clever locking mechanism at the interlock.

The third and final patio door type product on display was in the form of the world’s first preview of PremiSlide, an innovative flush fitting patio type door with compression gaskets, unrivalled weather performance and ‘soft close’ technology. It proved to be one of the defining talking points on the stand.

The FIT Show also saw the emergence of PVCu/aluminium hybrid systems, something KÖMMERLING has championed in several European markets in recent years, with System 76 French doors on show, one with proCoverTec and the other an Irish Oak/AluClip Pro hybrid option with a flush exterior, both offering a unique tilt option.

A slide, swing and fold PremiFold 70 door set was also on show along with a number of System 76 and C70/O70 Gold^® cross sections, on what was a very busy stand throughout the show. Visitors included existing customers in the form of both fabricators and installers, along with several high profile commercial specifiers. Finally, the new KÖMMERLING Pergola formed part of the reception area on the stand, a product for the outdoor living sector with opening louvres, integrated spot lights and mood lighting.

Kevin Warner, head of sales and marketing for KÖMMERLING concluded: ‘The FIT Show was a resounding success for us and the response from our new product innovations was somewhat overwhelming. We’re equipping our customers with unique glazing solutions, harnessing surface finishing and hybrid technologies and offering a new 76mm platform with immense performance characteristics.’

For KÖMMERLING information on becoming a manufacturing partner, approved installer or as a building specifier, call 01543 444900, e-mail enquiries@profine-group.com or visit www.kommerling.co.uk. You can also follow them on Twitter @kommerling_uk.

There was no doubting that the aluminium representation was the largest in the history of the FIT Show. In the exhibitions since it’s launch, the 2017 show had the most aluminium syscos and fabricators exhibiting new and existing products. A sign of the times.

It’s worth mentioning though that there is room to grow aluminium representation for the 2019 show. There was still a number of very large, notable aluminium houses without representation this year. For 2019 I would like to see a more rounded, fuller aluminium representation next time. Perhaps it could bring a bigger commercial footfall with it too.

One thing I did take away though was the extent in which the industry was seeing the potential and progress with aluminium in the residential market. I could see this being demonstrated by what was on show on the AluK stand. On Wednesday morning I got a personal tour of the stand and the vast array of products and ranges now available at AluK. Some very high end, some a little less, and some a little less further. Point was, all aluminium, all aimed at the residential market, all aimed at differing budgets.

They weren’t the only ones. After this year’s show, after listening to the conversation, I am starting to believe that aluminium really could become a threat to the market share dominance of PVCu in the residential part of the market.

Aluminium ascendancy

The rise in popularity of aluminium windows and doors in the residential sphere is quite remarkable when you think about it. Consider how strongly PVCu took over in the late 70’s and early 80’s, to completely dethrone timber and aluminium firmly into the long grass. During that time, PVCu has evolved into a much more mature, efficient, higher quality product, as reflected by many of the PVCu products on sale in the UK right now.

Yet, aluminium, and to a lesser extent timber, has managed to claw it’s way back into relevancy in the residential part of the market. In the past few years we have seen a total transformation of what aluminium windows and doors are capable of. Much improved energy ratings. Vastly superior aesthetics to it’s predecessors decades ago. Sexy hardware suites. Powder coated, textured and now in some parts wood grain finishes. Aluminium windows and doors in 2017 are a genuinely aspirational purchase for home owners now, and that is where I think it could springboard into much bigger sales in the years to come.

Aspire for aluminium

I think a lot of the early aluminium resurgence can be pinned to TV programmes like Grand Designs which showcased amazing home, many with stunning aluminium bi-fold doors and more recently large span sliding doors. It’s a popular programme with home owners, gets good viewing figures every week. Products that get exposure on these sorts of programmes can count on boosts in sales.

From there, aluminium in the residential market has managed to build up a solid base, with sales rising for aluminium windows and doors rising year on year. But that part of the industry has done a fantastic job of reinventing itself from the dowdy decades of the 70’s and 80’s into a product that is now a genuine aspirational purchase for home owners.

In that respect, this is where aluminium has got itself ahead of PVCu and timber too. I fully understand that PVCu has gone through it’s own evolution process in the last ten years or so, deciding to take on many more characteristics of timber, and yes, PVCu is now far better for it. But in the battle for the premium crown, aluminium most certainly comes out on top. In the aspiration race, it’s the one at the top of the pile that people want the most.

Attack on all pricing fronts

The tour of the Aluk stand at the FIT Show showed me where the aluminium market is going to be going in the coming years. Laura from AluK showed me three ranges of products. One aimed at the very highest end of the residential market, one aimed just below that, and another aimed at the more budget part of the market. Although the word “budget” probably doesn’t apply in the aluminium market.

But what this formulation of products and ranges showed me was that the aluminium market was starting to shape up in a much bigger, more organised way to hit all parts of the residential market. It could be argued that up to now aluminium windows and doors have been reserved for the higher end of the home owner market. But from what I saw at the FIT Show, it is clear that the aluminium market is coming after the heartlands of the PVCu market.

And why not? Energy ratings are on a par with most PVCu alternatives. Weather performance is just as good, if not better. Aesthetics are fantastic, with wood grain finishes now finally filtering through. Most profile depths allow for easy retro-fitting. Conservation area compliance isn’t a problem either for specific heritage ranges. If aluminium companies start aiming at the PVCu market with near-par pricing points, backed up with the aforementioned USPs, then it is quite feasible that we could see the market share of PVCu in the residential sector become quickly eroded.

I believe we are at a turning point in our industry. A moment where aluminium is perhaps the single biggest threat and opportunity to overturn the dominance of PVCu. In ten years time, our industry could look very different.