Tradesmith Achieves Certification With Bluesky

Tradesmith has achieved certification with Bluesky for the manufacture of windows and doorsets to BS7412 and PAS 24, to meet Secured by Design requirements.

Mark Hutchinson, Managing Director of Tradesmith said: “Bluesky Certification clearly care about providing a quality service to its customers. This is demonstrated throughout the process of achieving certification, from the way the initial enquiry is taken through to the presentation of the certificate.

“The audit process is thorough, with a focus on the aspects of production that really matter. I was particularly impressed with the appearance of our certificate and logos, which have been professionally designed to reflect the achievement of meeting the certification requirements. I’m proud to be associated with Bluesky Certification as we both share the same ethos of high quality, professional service and understanding of our customer’s needs and expectations.”

Mark went on to say: “I believe the best way to build a good relationship between customers and suppliers is to make the whole process of working together, simple and straightforward which is exactly what I found working with Bluesky.”

Simon Beer, Managing Director of Bluesky Certification says: “As a newly accredited body, we are aware of the sense of achievement that obtaining recognition by a third party can bring. We believe that the quality of the certificate, logos and listing on the website should reflect this.

“When designing our certificates, we wanted to produce something that reflected the high standard that we seek to achieve in every aspect of our business, as well as looking the part in the showroom of a professional manufacturer such as Tradesmith.  Feedback from our customers has clearly shown that this is something that is highly appreciated.”

www.blueskycert.com

Image Above: Brigitte Dero, VinylPlus General Manager

The recycling of PVC has reached a new high with 568,696 tonnes recycled in 2016 through the framework of VinylPlus, the European PVC industry sustainable development programme. The latest results were announced at PVC 2017 by Brigitte Dero, VinylPlus General Manager, who opened the conference in Brighton on April 25^th.

The triennial event is the world’s largest PVC forum providing information, education, debate and discussion on key topics for the industry.

Speaking on the first day, Brigitte highlighted how the achievements of the VinylPlus Voluntary Commitment to sustainable development over the past two decades had helped to turn PVC from ‘the black sheep in the plastic family to a pioneer’ and a material of choice.

She stated: “VinylPlus is now recognised by external stakeholders and is considered by many as a frontrunner for the circular economy. We reached this position by achieving significant and concrete results and have consistently demonstrated our commitment through action.”

A cumulative total of more than 3.5 million tonnes of PVC has been recycled since 2000 thanks to the efforts of VinylPlus. The largest volumes are from window profiles, followed by cables and flexible applications, pipes and fittings. The target is to recycle 800,000 tonnes per year by 2020.

VinylPlus places ‘paramount importance’ on the safety and quality of recycled PVC, which is supported by traceability and certification schemes for recyclates. With recycling increasing year-on-year, work is underway to include schemes like EuCertPlast as standard criteria for secondary raw materials. This would stimulate demand and help to prevent the loss of these valuable materials from a circular economy.

“Having recycled nearly 600,000 tonnes of PVC last year, we have demonstrated through the VinylPlus Voluntary Commitment that we can divert from landfill significant volumes of PVC waste, thereby contributing to resource efficiency,” continued Brigitte.

Other recent achievements include the development of an Additives Sustainability Framework – a new science-based system for assessing the sustainable use of additives in PVC products. The first ASF is almost complete for window profiles.

Brigitte explained how VinylPlus provides solutions to a ‘number of issues’ highlighted in the EU discussion on Plastics Strategy and the vision that ‘all plastics should be designed, manufactured and used in a sustainable manner, while increasing their durability’.

Concluding, Brigitte Dero said: “VinylPlus has made successful progress across all challenges identified in the Voluntary Commitment increasing the sustainability performance of PVC. This is thanks to the efforts of many companies delivering quality products (virgin and recyclates) safely.

“Our journey continues to address all concerns and engage the PVC industry towards sustainability as a whole through dialogue and practical partnerships. The united PVC industry shows the way!”

For more information, contact: Sylvie Famelart,  sylvie.famelart@plasticseurope.org

Architectural aluminium specialist Hueck UK has added to its commercial offering with the launch of a new product set to revolutionise façade technology.

Trigon GSP is a glass-sandwich system that allows architects to create complex office and store facades quickly and cost-efficiently.

Opaque glass-sandwich panels and concealed mounting offers seamless glass looks without visible structural elements.

Each surface can then be individually printed with colours images and lettering, making complex office and store facades easily achieved.

The system offers continuous glass lengths of up to 16 metres and can achieve U-values of up to 0.13 W/m²K in opaque areas.

Trigon GSP is one of four new products recently launched by Hueck to help architects unlock new opportunities in the domestic and commercial markets.

Leon Friend, Director at Hueck comments: “Trigon GSP has been launched as part of our commitment to the research and development of products that will give architects a complete solution to all project types and requirements.

“We believe that we have pushed the boundaries with Trigon GSP and are delighted to bring a product to market that will make the design and process of complex façade projects quicker and simpler.”

For more information please visit www.hueck.com

Distinction Doors opened the doors of its state-of-the-art in-house paint plant two years ago and today the company is celebrating the wisdom of the decision to invest in colour. Andy Grogan, Distinction’s National Sales Manager said: “Even two years ago we could see that colour could only become a more important part of choosing a composite door, which is why we made the decision to bring painting in-house back then. The move helped us improve quality, cost and lead times when it came to colour and has proved a very sound investment for both our business and our customers. We have a six day lead time on painted doors and every door that leaves our paint plant comes with a ten year surface guarantee.”

As Andy says, colour has really taken off in the past couple of years and Distinction has kept pace with demand by being at the forefront of the development. “Homeowners are more adventurous with colour in so many ways and we have the ability to respond accordingly,” he says.

The company has increased its range of pre-pigmented colours to include perennial favourites Anthracite Grey and Distinction Chartwell Green. The move has meant there is more space in the paint plant to meet the increasing demand for bespoke colour. “Colour is big news and there’s no doubt homeowners are influenced by trends in this area. News such as the announcement of Pantone’s colour of the year as Greenery and the emphasis on all shades of pink in fashion circles will all be reflected in the colours that go on order in our paint plant,” commented Andy.

Distinction’s offer also includes dual colour options to enable homeowners to make a statement on their door’s exterior but also be able to match the interior door colour with their decor for a seamless look and feel. “It’s a thoughtful extra that we know homeowners appreciate,” said Andy.

As reflects the Distinction’s commitment to quality, the company also paints the glazing cassette on painted doors and can paint the edge-banding too for a completely coordinated finish. And when the company introduces rain deflectors in May, these too will be painted to match the door.

Being able to spot trends and react to them is vital for success. In spotting the appeal of colour in the way it has, Distinction Doors has given its customers a clear market advantage.

www.distinctiondoors.co.uk

Coinciding with its 20^th anniversary celebrations, the East Midlands’ trade fabricator, Frame Fast UK, has opened a new factory to increase space for manufacturing. The new factory is a real marker of its long-term success and reflects how the business has grown during its 20 years.

Frame Fast has been fabricating windows, doors and conservatory roofs for the trade in Derby, since 1997. The new factory, which adds to Frame Fast’s existing 30,000 ft. facility, gives it more space for its growing range of aluminium products and new Modus S flush casement system.

“Whether customers need bifold doors, composite doors, conservatory roofs or exclusive decorative glass designs, we have it all,” says Nigel Leivers, Director at Frame Fast. “The new factory is home to our glass unit production, which has made four times more room for our aluminium manufacturing.

“It allows us to manufacture more aluminium doors and windows, decorative glass, composite doors and PVCu products. We can offer installers more options so they can offer lots of choice to their customers.”

Frame Fast is a fabricator of Eurocell and Smarts Aluminium systems. It supports installers who fit windows and doors in domestic and commercial properties across the East Midlands.

“20 years is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved at Frame Fast,” adds Nigel. “It’s a great milestone for the company. It reflects all the hard work every one has put in through the years and it’s a great foundation for the next 20 years.”

www.framefastuk.com

Image Above: Ford Windows’s Managing Director Philip Shackley.

Sheffield-based fabricator and installer Ford Windows is celebrating a new milestone in its continuing growth and development – its 40^th year in the industry. And, despite its maturity, the company is continuing to grow.

“Our business has seen double-digit growth over the past four years and we’re currently on target to maintain this through 2017,” says managing director Philip Shackley.

The company now fabricates 2,000 windows a week with 180 staff in Sheffield and is now the premier new build fabricator in the North of England, the company claims and produces another 400 a week at its East Kilbride satellite operation, which serves the Scottish market.

And that commitment to service is reflected in a 60-strong customer base that includes some of the UK’s top house builders among its clients – Barratt Development, Persimmon, and Taylor Wimpey to name just three.

“We believe in adding value and reacting quickly to what the customer wants,” Philip says. “If there is a problem then we aim to get it sorted in 24 hours.”

The management team has just overseen an investment programme of nearly £1 million that includes the acquisition of two top-of-the-range Stuga ZX4 sawing and machining centres that can produce an extra 800 to 1000 windows per week with only two operators each. These produce Eurocell Eurologik 70mm windows in response to demand from house builders for improved U-values, which the six-chambered design delivers with ease as it is one of the first windows to achieve the UK’s highest possible energy rating: A++.

These machines can also be configured to manufacture other Eurocell windows as housebuilders turn to windows for differentiation in a highly competitive market, where models such as Modus will come to the fore. Modus is specifically designed to meet the growing demand for premium PVC-U windows from discerning homebuyers who want distinctive properties that present a traditional appearance while meeting modern performance standards.

Philip Shackley believes that Ford Windows’ strong relationship with Eurocell has been a key factor in the company’s success.

“We chose Eurocell because of its excellent reputation for fabricator support and innovation. It’s thanks to its excellent product and our own commitment to best-in-class customer service that we have been able to grow to this size and still expand,” he says.

Trading exclusively in the new build market, Ford Windows offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, including: casement, tilt & turn and vertical slider windows; Victorian, Edwardian, or lean-to conservatories; and French windows, patio and bi-folding doors.

The enhanced security offered by its doors and windows is accredited by Secured by Design, the crime prevention initiative developed in the UK by ACPO CPI (Association Chief Police Officers, Crime Prevention Initiatives), as well as the recently introduced security requirement of the Building Regulations, Approved Document Q.

www.fordwindows.co.uk