Forel North America Expands North American Headquarters

Image Above: Andrew Jones (left) from Emmegi (UK) pictured with Neil Fraser of Rana Park placing his order for an Itaca Solution crimper at the FIT Show.

Neil Fraser of trade fabricators Rana Park Ltd, pictured with sales manager Andrew Jones, was one of several visitors who took advantage of Emmegi’s FIT Show offer of a free TKE sealant machine with every order for an Itaca Solution crimper.

Neil said: “We’ve used a manually jointed system up until now, but newer systems we’re adding to our range require crimping so it made perfect sense for us to choose a machine which can automate that for us. Obviously, it made even more sense to order the Itaca Solution at the FIT Show and get a £3000 TKE sealant machine thrown in – we’re delighted with the deal.”

The Atla Coop Itaca Solution NC controlled crimping machine has a 12 axis NC control system which means it can be reset in minutes when fabricators switch between profiles instead of having to carry out a manual reset which can take hours. For most customers, the payback can be calculated in just a few months.

It proved a real draw on the stand for both new and existing customers, alongside machines like the Emmegi Comet T6HP four axis machining centre and twin head Precision TS2 cutting centre.

Managing Director Ian Latimer said: “As well as the Itaca Solutions sales, we also took orders for several of the larger machines directly at the show which was very positive. We’ve been at every FIT Show so far and, every time, customers come with the specific intention of doing business.”

www.emmegi.com

From left to right: Tony Cragg, MD Virtuoso; Richard Lee, MD Polyframe Halifax; John Adams, customer service director; Gareth Thomas, group sales and marketing director; Claire Miller, group marketing manager; John Lightowlers, group managing director and Nick Gibbons, chief operations officer

Customade Group was formally celebrating its merger with Polyframe at the FIT Show, welcoming visitors on to not one, but two stands at the show and telling them about what the enlarged, full-service group can deliver to the industry since its merger in February.

The group spread the message about its new capabilities and also impressed visitors with an array of products and brands. Real Aluminium and Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions ‘dazzled’ show-goers with their ranges of aluminium fenestration products and glazed roofs and talked about how they can help installers to enter into the profitable aluminium market with ‘complete confidence’. Polyframe and Virtuoso unveiled some exciting products and plans for the future.

Customade Group claims it is now the biggest fabricator in the UK, with revenues of more than £100 million and a vast product range which extends across PVC-U and aluminium windows and doors, composite doors, aluminium glazed roof products, sealed glass units and specialist glazing.

John Lightowlers, Customade Group managing director, explained: “We’re tremendously excited about this year’s FIT Show because it’s the first industry event since Polyframe merged with the Customade Group. We are perhaps the biggest name that many people may not have heard of…yet, but that’s all about to change and we’ve been setting the scene at FIT. We have some terrific plans for the future and a team of 900 people to deliver a formidable five-year strategy. This is a step-change for the industry and we’re excited to tell everyone all about what our collective ability will bring.

“We’re currently repositioning ourselves within the market and rebranding the Customade Group. This enlarged group gives us a unique presence and strength within the market, delivering a complete solution for customers with strong, challenger brands behind us. The combined product portfolio of the group is unmatched by any other fabricator in the industry and we’ll be working very closely with customers to help them to achieve sustainable growth. The response from our customers since the merger has been extremely positive and they’re really enthusiastic about a promising future with us.”

www.customade.co.uk

The post Customade Group makes an impact at FIT appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Above Picture: Julie Warner, Carl F Groupco’s Roto / PN Product Manager and John Mitchell, the company’s Technical Manager with the new System 700.

System 700, a new range of fully reversible hardware for windows manufactured by Roto/Peder Nielsen (PN), was launched by Carl F Groupco at the FIT Show. As sole distributor of PN hardware by Roto in the UK, Carl F Groupco played a pivotal role announcing the new range on its stand.

Julie Warner, a Product Manager for Carl F Groupco who has worked with Roto / PN for over 16 years explains the importance of the announcement:

“The launch of System 700 at the FIT Show drew significant attention from across the industry. A slimmer hinge, which works on a 7mm groove, makes the product the ideal solution for aluminium and PVCu systems companies and timber fabricators who need to provide a fully reversible option for flush casement windows. The new build housing market will also be interested as consistent design aesthetics are offered across all window types.

“The System 700 retains the trademark durability and impressive functionality that is offered by all hardware in the PN by Roto range.”

Carl F Groupco has a long-standing relationship with PN that dates back to 2001 and which has continued following the acquisition of PN by Roto in 2016. Main lines are UNI top swing reversible gearing with two variants, Standard and Hotel, which complement Carl F Groupco’s hardware range.

Carl F Groupco Limited Tel: 01733 393330

www.carlfgroupco.co.uk

Follow Carl F Groupco on Twitter using the handles @Carl_F_Groupco and @_SmartSecure

Offering ‘significantly reduced’ manufacturing times, Passive Haus equivalent standard thermal efficiency and modular Aluskin aluminium external cladding options, Aluplast’s new lift-and-slide was said to be at the forefront of ‘a new generation of PVC-U products’ on show at FIT 2017.

Capable of spanning openings of 6.5m X 2.8m, the modular 85mm system can reportedly accommodate glazing units of up to 51mm to deliver ‘U’ values as low as 0.65 W/m2K, meeting Passive Haus standards – a reported first for the product type.

Also, delivering manufacturing time efficiencies of up to 40% over comparable systems, Ian Cocken, director of sales and marketing, Aluplast, said, the new Aluplast lift-and-slide door, combined a strong architectural aesthetic and advance performance.

“The lift-and-slide mechanism, the ‘U’ values that this door can deliver, the flush threshold, it’s weather performance, combined with an exceptional aesthetic, including the Aluskin aluminium option, gives the lift-and-slide incredible reach,” he said.

“There has been a definite shift within the market to premium products. The lift-and-slide can be manufactured highly efficiently. As a modular system, stock holding is kept to a minimum, while it can also be sold as either a standard or with a foiled or aluminium external finish.

“This gives the Aluplast lift-and-slide huge market potential, something which I believe anyone who came to our standard during the show recognised immediately.”

Ian Cocken added: “What the FIT Show has been about for us, has been showing UK fabricators and installers how much we’re investing in new product innovation and what that’s bringing to the UK fabrication and retail sector.

“Our customers can access global leading innovation at what is a very competitive price point. Again, that wasn’t lost on visitors to the stand this year. This is something which provides us with a real springboard for our continuing growth and increasing market share this year.”

Summing up, Keith White, managing director, Aluplast,  said: “It was an important show for us in that we showcased first-hand the product innovations that Aluplast is bringing to the UK. Our new Lift-and-Slide door attracted a high level of interest and I think we’ll certainly see business on the back of that.

“In our experience, the first two days were very busy – although I’m personally not quite sure that the late finish on the Tuesday night was worth it. The third day was perhaps a little slower.

“But what the FIT Show gave us was a platform to catch-up and meet with customers and prospects and in that was very valuable.”

www.aluplast.co.uk

The post Aluplast lift-and-slide hailed as a showstopper at this year’s FIT appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

It was a double victory for REAL Aluminium and one lucky visitor to the REAL Aluminium stand at this year’s FIT Show.

The show was the exciting finalé to a viral campaign for REAL Aluminium in which the brand won the coveted title of ‘best creative FIT 2017 marketing campaign’ at the gala dinner on the Wednesday evening.

The winning campaign tugged on the inner child in everyone by calling all competitive show-goers to visit the stand during the three-day show to try and fly their paper plane the furthest in the Fly with REAL Paper Plane Challenge. The campaign drew crowds of competitors to the stand and, on the final day of the show, the winner was announced as Steve Bramhill, business development director at Wintech Engineering. Steve flew his plane a staggering 23 metres down a specially designed runway on the REAL Aluminium stand and out into the gangway beyond, beating his nearest rival by almost a metre!

The multi-channel campaign built excitement in the run-up to the show and underlined the core message of REAL – aluminium can be as easy as child’s play and installers will see their aluminium sales fly with REAL.

Nostalgic and imaginative, the campaign reached thousands of fabricators, installers and retailers in the industry and took many of them back to the days of making paper planes in their childhood.

The success of the campaign was honoured when REAL Aluminium beat off stiff competition from fellow rivals AluK, Epwin Window Systems and Camden Group to steal the title of best marketing campaign at the annual FIT Show awards.

Gareth Thomas, sales and marketing director at Customade Group, said: “In the weeks before the show, we were really shouting about REAL Aluminium and how it can make the move into aluminium ‘as easy as child’s play’ for installers so we’re absolutely thrilled to have won a top industry award for this terrific campaign. The aim of our competition was to bring a bit of friendly rivalry to the stand and get people talking about how to make the perfect paper plane. Judging by the number of entries we had and the level of competitive spirit we saw, I think we can say it was a success!

“Of course, the main message of the campaign was to stress to installers that their businesses can really fly when they make the leap in to aluminium and we’re now following up on hundreds of leads from people who want to achieve just that. For many installers, the FIT Show was their chance to start flying ahead and I’m sure that we’ll be welcoming many new customers on board because of this campaign.”

As well as putting their paper plane flying skills to the test, visitors to the Customade stand learnt more about REAL Aluminium and the breadth of aluminium products available.

REAL Aluminium is an industry-leading solution to make the process of promoting, quoting, selling and ordering aluminium as easy as PVC-u. Providing installers with everything they need to promote and sell the most extensive range of aluminium windows, doors and lantern roofs, REAL Aluminium enables them to benefit from astonishing lead times of just two weeks on standard profile.

To find out more about REAL Aluminium, please call 01453 826884 or visit www.real-aluminium.co.uk

Customade Group is now the biggest fabricator in the UK with revenues of more than £100 million. Delivering industry-leading products and brands, the full-service Customade Group now includes Polyframe (PVC-u), REAL Aluminium (aluminium), Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions (glazed roofs), Virtuoso (composite and panelled doors), Hourglass Seal (sealed glass units), and Fineline Aluminium (specialist glazing). The group operates nationwide and employs 900 people in multiple manufacturing sites across the UK.

It is with regret that Kommerling UK announces the death of Phil Turley, Glass Products business manager. Phil died on May 18th, following a lengthy battle with cancer.

A well-known and respected figure, Phil had worked in the glazing industry for over 35 years and had spent the last 12 of these with Kommerling UK. Phil had a short spell as a semi-professional footballer with West Bromwich Albion FC but in his words, “his dream career was not to be.”

His first role in the glass industry was with UBM Hills Glass, where he was put in charge of a toughening plant. He then held a series of different sales roles with several of the industry’s key players before joining Kommerling in 2004.

Phil leaves a wife, three daughters and two step-sons.

The funeral will take place on 8th June, at 10.30 am at Earlham Crematorium, Norwich and afterwards at Dunstan Hall.

Family flowers only but donations can be made direct to the Myeloma UK and Kidney Research UK, via the funeral directors (RB Copping, 125 The Street, Poringland, NR14 7RP) or a box at the service.

For the service, Sue has asked for the men to wear ties, as Phil liked things formal

The post Phil Turley, Kommerling UK appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

The Atlas Contemporary glazed lantern stole the show as the crowning glory in the ‘Master Fitter Challenge’ at this year’s FIT Show.

Crowds of show-goers flocked to see six teams install a range of glazed products in the two-day contest, which started with fitting a four-pane Atlas Contemporary Lantern on day one. Onlookers were impressed with the ‘fitter-friendly’ lantern, which all teams installed with ease.

David Shaw and Nathan Daw from Norfolk-based Shaw Home Improvements won the ‘Roof Lantern Challenge’ element of the contest, whilst David Keates and Jonathan Mountford from DK Windows collected overall first prize in the Master Fitter Challenge.

David Shaw, owner of Shaw Home Improvements, said: “We were thrilled to pick up the gong in the Roof Lantern Challenge. We were up against some very experienced installers in the competition so it was a massive achievement for us to win this award and to come second in the overall contest.

“We’ve been working with the Atlas roof for around three years so we know that it is a quality product and a ‘fitters dream’ to install. It was easy to fit the Atlas lantern in this challenge and it looked superb. Even though it was a relatively small lantern, you could see that its minimal design and maximum glazing sets it apart from more traditionally-styled products.”

Claire Miller added: “The Master Fitter Challenge has become a highlight at the FIT Show and it celebrates the best installer talent in the industry. The Atlas lantern was chosen to be the first ever roof lantern in the contest because of its clean lines, modern looks and reputation for being straightforward to install.

“The Atlas lantern lived up to expectations in the contest and all the installers found it easy to work with. Well done to everyone who took part in the competition and congratulations to all the winners. The six finished ‘pods’ looked fantastic with the Atlas lantern, window and doors fitted.”

The Master Fitter Challenge saw a shortlist of six skilled installers compete against each other to install a range of glazing products, including the Atlas lantern, on their own 3×3 metre pod during the live finals at the FIT Show.

The finalists were judged on the quality of every element of their installation and scrutinised for their attention to detail. Behind DK Windows in first place and Shaw Home Improvements in second place was West Yorkshire Windows who came third.

The Atlas range of four-pane Contemporary Lanterns has been designed with the signature internal and external aesthetics of an Atlas roof. Available in sizes up to 3000 x 1500mm, the lantern has the slimmest sightlines in the industry and comparative reveal that the Atlas Contemporary Lantern has a 60% slimmer ridge and 38% slimmer hip internally. Externally, it is more than 50% slimmer than alternative systems.

For further information, please contact Atlas on marketing@atlasroofsolutions.co.uk or phone

02838 327741.

Kaliber Group, owner of door and window manufacturer, KAT, plus Ayrshire Aluminium and Spitfire Doors, has acquired Universal Arches, adding a further name to its group of PVC-U and aluminium specialist businesses.

With forecasts showing continued growth in the home improvement sector over the next three to five years, Kaliber Group is increasing its fenestration market foothold to provide an extensive portfolio of specialist and aspirational quality door and window products.

Universal Arches is described as the leading PVC-U profile bending company in the UK. Profitably trading for over 25 years, the company has reportedly established an ‘enviable reputation’ for reliable quality and excellent service. The firm will continue to operate from its St. Helens, Merseyside base and there are ambitious growth plans for the business.

Leon Day, managing director, Universal Arches, will step down from his role to become a consultant to the business. He stated: “I am delighted that my business is joining the Kaliber Group because it will open up further markets for Universal Arches and I know my team will rise to the challenge. I will continue to be involved and I am very excited about Universal Arches’ next chapter.”

Kaliber Group recently acquired Ayrshire Shopfronts in Kilmarnock, Scotland to enhance its product range and services in both the commercial and residential sectors. At the FIT Show last week, sister company, KAT, announced an exclusive partnership with aluminium window and door systems extruder, Kawneer, to bolster its trade residential product offering.

Chris Powell, managing director, KAT, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Universal Arches into our group because it not only allows KAT to extend an already extensive product portfolio but it will also allow both businesses to provide a more comprehensive, joined up service, to both customer groups.”

David Richards, chairman, Kaliber Group, added: “The strategic acquisition of Universal Arches is exciting because we have added another niche market leader with a talented and committed workforce to our group of specialist but inter-related window and door businesses.”

The post Kaliber Group acquires Universal Arches appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Hardware specialist VBH report that their third visit to FiT Show was the best yet in terms of product launches, visitor numbers and leads.

The company focused almost entirely on products from its ever expanding greenteQ range which was reflected in the design and branding of the stand.

PAS24 versions of Clearspan aluminium bi-fold door hardware and the Invisifold Slide & Fold system both received much attention, as did the outward opening casement and tilt & turn window versions of Invisifold.

VBH’s new Q-secure multi-brand guarantee was unveiled and many fabricators signed up to the scheme during the show, keen to offer the package to their customers. Q-secure guarantees against forced entry for 10 years after installation, and is the only scheme on the market which covers all the relevant hardware on a door or window, from a variety of brands.

VBH advise that they were a little surprised themselves at the star of their show; the patented greenteQ SecuriFold door handle for multipoint lock applications. SecuriFold handles are designed to fold flat in the vertical position when not in use, popping up into the ‘normal’ 90° position only when the door is being operated.

The handle stands off the profile by only 23mm when folded, so is ideal for use on bi-fold and Slide & Fold doors as it allows the sashes to stack closer together than a conventional handle.

VBH advise that the feedback received at FiT suggests that SecuriFold, and the new CentreFold intermediate handle, which is even slimmer at just 16mm stand-off, look set to be hugely popular.

Peter Rowlands, MD of VBH (GB) says ‘The FiT show exceeded our expectations in many ways; in particular the number and quality of visitors, and the level of genuine interest in our products and services. Overall we felt the show was a big success for the industry and we are proud to have been part of it.  As a mark of our confidence in the future and new products in our pipeline, we’re going bigger in 2019 and have reserved a stand 75% larger than this year’s.’   

More on VBH and their products and services can be found at www.vbhgb.com or by calling 01634 263300.