MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR HAZLEMERE WINDOW COMPANY LTD

Buckinghamshire based installer – Hazlemere Window Company is making a considerable investment in its Hertfordshire showroom with a major refurbishment project.

Previously branded as Housemaster, the showroom, which is based at Mundells Industrial Centre in Welwyn Garden City, underwent it’s last refurbishment in 2014. However, due to major developments in its product offering in the past three years, the Hazlemere Board have made the decision to invest in a much larger, ultra-modern new showroom, converting most of the storage and office space, to be able to display even more products under one roof.

The new showroom will contain the very latest thermally efficient windows, doors and conservatories, in a choice of materials and finishes. Also on display will be aluminium doors, composite doors, engineered timber front doors and UPVC doors, in different styles and bespoke colours to suit each customers taste and budget. A range of different types of aluminium and UPVC conservatories, extensions and orangeries will also be showcased, with a choice a double glazed glass roofs or solid tiled roofs that come with the option of heat reflective double glazing or aluminium or plastic roof tiles.

Hazlemere Window Company Sales and Marketing Director Mark Austin said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by product changes and developments in recent years, being part of the Conservatory Outlet Network means we always have access to the most innovative and up to date product ranges on the market… we just have to find the space to show them all off! “.

“The new modern showroom has been designed to enable our customers to be able to open and close the different types of windows and doors for themselves, plus see glass extensions fully decorated and furnished in different lifestyle settings. We want to give a real ‘try before you buy’ feel to the showroom, and allow customers to make informed choices about their purchases.”

Business Development Director at Conservatory Outlet, Andy Miller added: “It’s really great news that Hazlemere are in a position to be able to refurbish their Hertfordshire showroom once again, an investment I am confident they will handsomely rewarded for. The new showroom design has the customer at the heart of the project, and will allow end users a real showcase of all of the product ranges on offer, allowing them to make better informed purchases.

Conservatory Outlet wishes the team at Hazlemere the best of luck with all the work, and of course will support the project wherever we can.”

For more information on either showroom please visit: www.hazlemere.co.uk

GGF staff and Members have welcomed Phil Pluck as the new Chief Executive of the industry’s trade body.

Phil started his new role on 2^nd May and is still settling into the role but has been pleased with his first few weeks commenting, “Not coming from the industry, it has been a whirlwind few weeks and I am still very much in the middle of a learning curve. One thing that is becoming quite clear is that we have a strong and experienced team in place, delivering a high level of service to our Members, but there is of course always room for improvement.”

With a background of successfully growing Membership organisations, Phil added, “My aim is to grow GGF Membership, but to ensure that we recruit quality companies into Membership. It is imperative we retain the high standards the GGF has built up for the last forty years.”

Phil is planning to attend The FIT Show in Birmingham next week where the GGF will be presenting technical seminars and holding a special 40th Anniversary Party on stand N35 in Hall 8 as part of The FIT Show’s BIG Tuesday evening.

Phil added, “Though I am new to the industry, I am looking forward to visiting the FIT Show and to meeting more GGF Members at what promises to be an interesting and exciting exhibition.”

www.MyGlazing.com

Mighton Products has increased its offering to now include a state of the art scribing machine. The Scribe-It™, developed in-house by Mighton, features a 240 volt semi-automatic design capable of providing joiners with high quality results whilst requiring minimal input. The company gave Tibby Singh, the former BBC Young Carpenter of the Year and now a professional tools and tech tester and reviewer, the opportunity to put the Scribe-It™ to the test.

“Scribing is a bit like diving in at the deep end,” said Tibby, “There is a lot more to it than meets the eye so I was intrigued to see how well this new machine would stand up to the challenge. My initial concern was that there would be lots of buttons and complex software to figure out before I could operate it. However, the machine was incredibly simple to set up and after being given a just a short demonstration I was happily scribing away by myself.”

“The main action is carried out using not one but two cutters,” Tibby continued, “This allows for the shaping of the bead to be done in two halves, one after the other. By using a method like this the machine safeguards against potential issues, such as the bead splitting or spelching at the end, leaving you with a precise clean cut every time. There’s a range of compatible tooling available to suit various types of profile and the components have been made quick and easy to interchange, which for me was a real plus. The speed can also be adjusted to anywhere between 12,000 and 18,000 RPM to suit the material being cut.”

On average the Mighton Scribe-It™ completes a full cutting cycle in just 15 seconds and is compatible with any profile up to 45mm wide and 35mm deep, making it both efficient and flexible.

Tibby added: “The machine is not only fast but clean too. With a 63mm extraction outlet it can be connected to a vacuum extractor of choice to continuously clear away waste materials as you work. It also came with a complementary air gun which is great for getting rid of the daily dust build up to keep everything looking and performing at its best. The Scribe-It™ may be small but packs a mighty blow!”

Demonstrations of this, or any other, Mighton machine are available through the new Mighton Mobile Demonstration Vehicles. Available at home or work, this popular service gives customers the opportunity to book a free appointment with a Mighton expert and receive a live demonstration to explore how to get the most out of a potential purchase. Flexible finance options are also available making the Scribe-It™ easily attainable for small to medium joinery companies.

To learn more about the range of Mighton machinery or to order a new catalogue visit www.mightonproducts.com or call 01223 497097.

Safety is not a ‘nice to have’ option, but a right for all employees and in particular those engaged in the glass and glazing industry. It is about education, power and leadership as well as policy and process.

The newly updated easy-to-use reference guide gives an overview to prepare you for working safely in the glass and glazing industry. It provides advice on what to do when you come across a common hazard associated with your work and gives basic direction as to what actions you must take. It also takes account of recent changes in Health and Safety legislation and emphasizes the need for all those involved in the industry to identify, assess and manage risks, working together as a team.

Phil Pinnington, GGF Director of Health and Safety commented, “The re-focus with an emphasis on the practical application of safety practices has been keenly sought, especially by small and medium sized enterprises. These companies have a willingness be proactive with Health and Safety and now have a working framework to help. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to bring such practical guidance to the industry. I’m confident that the handbook and assessment will be well received.”

For the first time the guide encompasses not only the flat glass manufacturing sector but the customer facing installers. It’s been compiled with the most up to date information and guidance available and aims to help employees understand both the legal aspects of safety but the practical applications.

Supporting the handbook, a simple online assessment has been developed where employers can satisfy themselves their workers have a good understanding of the basic safety concepts. This then helps make sharing their own safety systems so much more effective.

The new publication is available as a free download to GGF Members via the Members Area of the GGF website www.ggf.org.uk or is available to purchase from the GGF Shop (http://shop.ggfmembers.com/employee-safety-in-the-glass-and-glazing-industry-ref-30-8/)

Express Trade Frames in Fleetwood, Lancashire, is the first fabricator of Exlabesa’s new Xlafold aluminium bifold door system that was recently launched. And one of Express Trade Frames’ first installations was suitably high profile – EFL League One football team Fleetwood Town FC.

Express Trade Frames had undertaken work for Fleetwood Town FC in the past and the quality of their workmanship meant they were first in the queue when the team needed to replace eight glass sliding doors at its ground.

Express Trade Frames recommended using the Xlafold bifolding door system from Exlabesa for the project. It has the classic slim sightlines of an aluminium bifolding door and is available in sculptured or square sash options. It has a typical U value of 1.5 W/m²K and has PAS 24 accreditation, so it offers exceptional thermal efficiency as well as meeting the requirements of Document Q of Building Regulations.

The company manufactured the doors in its new aluminium fabrication plant and installed them at Fleetwood Town’s ground over a period of five days.

Scott Law, Express Trade Frames’ Director commented: “We have only recently added the Xlafold bifolding door to our fabrication set-up and we were delighted that our local football team was one of the first projects we used it in.”

The decision to add the Xlafold system to the Express Trade Frames’ portfolio was simple, says Scott: “We have recently set up a new aluminium plant to complement our strong PVC-U offering. We approached other companies on the market about their bifold doors, but the Exlabesa system and attitude was superb and we felt they were the right choice for us. The Xlafold system is easy to manufacture and easy to install. The sightlines and overall product finish is excellent – basically, it does everything Xlabesa says it will.”

The Xlafold bifolding doors have given a new lease of life to the restaurant overlooking Fleetwood Town’s training facilties. Scott concludes: “We have been delighted with Exlabesa and Fleetwood Town are delighted with their doors.” Happy customers all round!

www.exlabesa.co.uk

CORGI Fenestration is delighted to announce that Liniar is the first systems house to achieve formal registration on its scheme and have access to one of the most recognised consumer mark in industry.

In making the announcement Chris Mayne, CEO of CORGI Fenestration commented “Liniar passed the CORGI Fenestration audit with flying colours and will be the first to display the CORGI Fenestration mark that tells its fabricators, installers and consumers that the business is committed to best practice when it comes to quality products, qualified staff, and the best in customer service.”

“There will be huge benefits for Liniar’s fabricator network with its Approved Fabricator Scheme also becoming CORGI Fenestration registered.  This means that if a fabricator has already achieved Liniar Approved status, it can become CORGI Fenestration registered in its own right through a reduced audit process”.

“There are also benefits for Liniar’s installers.  Any installers who already have existing GQA-awarded qualifications will be recognised by CORGI Fenestration and will be eligible to join the scheme as well”.

“Liniar installers who become registered and buy Liniar products through a CORGI Fenestration Registered fabricator will be able to offer their customers the assurance of the highest quality throughout the whole supply chain and will be able to carry a CORGI Fenestration branded qualifications card”.

Liniar’s Chief Executive Roger Hartshorn reinforced the company’s decision to join forces with CORGI Fenestration. “We’re delighted that Liniar is the first PVCu system house to join the CORGI Fenestration scheme. CORGI is a name that’s synonymous with trust and quality, values that we also hold dear at Liniar.

“There are many ‘approved’ schemes already in place within the industry that are little more than marketing exercises, so we fully support the independent scheme launched by CORGI Fenestration. We feel it will help to raise standards across the board, from system house to installer, which will have only benefit the consumer in the long run”.

“We believe that we’ve set the bar high by being the first systems company to be audited and accredited by CORGI. The audit has also backed up the validity of our own Liniar Approved Fabricator scheme, which will enable our customers to benefit from a reduced audit to use the CORGI Fenestration mark.”

Chris Mayne added: “We knew that Liniar were of the same mind-set as ourselves and so it was no surprise that they committed to our values of trust, reliability, expertise and quality.”

“We look forward to working with them over the long haul and to helping them realise the outstanding benefits associated with the CORGI name”.

For further information

enquiries@corgifenestration.co.uk

www.corgifenestration.co.uk

Tel:  0800 246 1729

Aluminium window, door and curtain walling specialist Soundcraft Doors has chosen an Emmegi Phantomatic M3 machining centre to help it expand capacity and manage some new large scale commercial projects.

Soundcraft originally made its name as a timber joinery company but in recent years has switched its emphasis on to aluminium and hybrid systems produced by Senior Architectural Systems, which now account for more than 80% of its output.

Previously, the Orpington based company had used its CNC timber machines for machining in aluminium, but has now replaced these with the bespoke Emmegi solution.

Production Manager Lee Gordon said that the Phantomatic M3 is doing exactly what was promised and is delivering the precision, speed and quality which the company needs.

He said: “We have been impressed with Emmegi (UK) at every stage of the buying process. The sales manager Andrew Jones talked through our requirements with us and really made the effort to understand what we needed before recommending the 3+1 axis machine which suits our factory perfectly. The installation team did a great job as well, and the training and support we received meant that we were up to speed with the machine in just a few weeks.

“We chose Emmegi largely on the basis of the quality and durability of the machine, and it is definitely living up to all our expectations.”

The Phantomatic M3 is a compact, fully enclosed machining centre which is ideal for producing Soundcraft’s extensive range of SBD doors and windows. The fully enclosed feature was important for Soundcraft in terms of guaranteeing there was no health and safety risk for operators, as well as the ease of operation which means the machine can be manned without any real joinery training.

Lee Gordon added: “Our skilled joiners can now be deployed to more complex tasks which means we are getting better value from them, whilst our in-training team are still able to turn out beautifully crafted aluminium frames thanks to the precision of the Phantomatic M3.”

At Soundcraft, the Phantomatic M3 is linked to BM Aluminium’s LogiKal software which is enabling the company to connect its CAD design function to its manufacturing.

Further details are available at www.emmegi.com