Promat SYSTEMGLAS® Timber Shortlisted For Prestigious BWF Award

An innovative system from Promat UK, which provides a multi-pane glazed timber screen with a 60 minute fire resistance rating for integrity and insulation (EI), has been named as a finalist in the 2017 British Woodworking Federation (BWF) Awards.

Shortlisted for the Product Design in Wood Award, Promat SYSTEMGLAS® is a complete glazing system which enables architects and designers to use traditional timber for fire screens in combination with tested fire doors. It is designed and manufactured to combine the natural beauty of a timber product with the functionality of a fire protection material in critical areas, without compromising on aesthetic goals.

The combination of traditional hardwood timber framing as part of a Promat SYSTEMGLAS® installation with butt joined glass products affords an updated and modern appearance, gives a fresh dimension in a market which has typically been dominated by steel and aluminium framing materials. It provides timber screen options which include the ability to vertically or horizontally butt joint the glazing, and also offer a multi-pane timber screen to EI30 and EI60 fire resistance classifications as part of a fully tested timber system.

Within a Promat SYSTEMGLAS® 30 timber screen installation a 30 minute timber fire door can be specified in a matching timber to complete the system offer. All SYSTEMGLAS® products within the range are fully tested at the company’s UKAS accredited first test centre and third party accredited. 

Promat SYSTEMGLAS® is installed to the highest standards through a network of approved installers who have their installations checked by Promat’s fire protection specialists. This provides a 360 Wheel of Assurance for fire protection, with the system’s design, manufacture and installation checked for compliance and delivering client peace of mind.

Ian Cowley, General Manager at Promat UK says: “We’re delighted that SYSTEMGLAS® has been named as a finalist in the BWF Awards. Our designers and engineers have created a system that provides fire safety assurance for the use of timber screens and doors, at a time when the effectiveness of passive fire protection is very much in the spotlight.

“Ultimately it ensures that clients can benefit from the beauty of timber within their buildings, without aesthetic or safety compromise. We’ll be actively promoting SYSTEMGLAS® to the market as part of our Specified for a Reason campaign to build awareness of this timber frame solution, along with its metal framing options, to ensure building designers know safety and design intent can go hand in hand.”

Find out more about Promat SYSTEMGLAS® at www.promat-glass.co.uk.  

Picture above:  from left to right, Duncan Saunders – Universal Trade Frames, Clare O’Hara – Epwin Window Systems and Jean and Brian Kruger – Universal Trade Frames

Shropshire-based trade fabricator Universal Trade Frames is celebrating 20 years in business and 20 years of being a Spectus fabricator too. Brian Kruger, Universal Trade Frames’ Managing Director, said: “As a business, Universal Trade Frames is committed to the quality of our products and to meeting the needs of our customers. Being a Spectus fabricator for over two decades plays a big part in the success of our business because our customers recognise what the Spectus name means and the value it adds. We are proud to be a Spectus fabricator.”

Brian is clear why his company is proud to have been a Spectus fabricator since the very beginning of its history: its products and its support. He commented: “Spectus has some of the best products in the industry and we don’t say that lightly. The quality of the product, the strength and structural integrity of the profile along with the product’s aesthetics raises the bar in system design. Add in the proactive marketing along with a first class technical support team and you have a winning combination.”

Universal Trade Frames manufactures the Spectus ovolo and sculptured Elite 70 systems, a combination that means it can deliver what its trade customers need. It recently signed up to the Excellence as Standard membership programme that aims to drive up standards across the industry, an aim Brian and his company wholeheartedly endorse.

Universal Trade Frames is a family-owned company. All its products are manufactured in its state of the art manufacturing plant and it is renowned for delivering consistent quality combined with outstanding back up and support. And in Spectus the team has a fabrication partner that works proactively with them to ensure they meet and exceed their customers’ expectations.

To mark the anniversary, Clara O’Hara, Divisional Managing Director of Epwin presented Universal Trade Frames with a commemorative plaque. Clare commented: “We have worked with Brian and his team throughout Universal Trade Frames’ 20 year history and we are delighted to celebrate this milestone with them.”

www.spectus.co.uk

Epwin Windows Systems has won the BPF Energy Award 2017 for the facility BPF/F00150 within the Climate Change Agreement. The award was given in recognition of the company’s ongoing commitment to energy reduction throughout their state of the art Telford extrusion plant where all main profile systems are produced.

In previous years the award was solely based around improvement in the Climate Change Agreement (CCA) Specific Energy Consumption (SEC). However, for the past two years the award has had a bias towards an absolute energy reduction criterion at facility level. As such, it is a mark of the success of the major investment made by Epwin Window Systems during 2015/2016 in energy reduction in its manufacturing process.

The award was presented by the president of the British Plastics Federation at the BPF Annual dinner which was held at the Lancaster Hotel, London and attended by 515 people from across the plastics industry.

Epwin Window Systems’ divisional operations director, Andy Bevan commented: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the BPF Energy Award 2017 for the facility BPF/F00150 within the Climate Change Agreement. This award can be given to any business in the plastics industry sector so to win it is a significant achievement. As a business, we are totally committed to reducing our carbon footprint across all areas of the business, particularly our manufacturing processes. We look forward to continuing to drive forward in our commitment.”

www.epwin.co.uk

The post Epwin Window Systems wins energy award appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

As a part of its drive to continuously improve its systems, Eurocell – one of the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of PVC-U window, door, conservatory and roofline products – has introduced a new PVC-U low threshold for its Eurologik 70mm chamfered and ovolo doors that offers users an alternative to aluminium that will cut energy bills and improve comfort.

This threshold is superior to aluminium equivalents because it reduces cold bridging and is more thermally efficient. Using the PVC-U low threshold improves the U-value by roughly 0.1 W/m²k depending on the style and specification of the door. Put another way, using the PVC-U threshold can boost the energy rating of a door by up to one energy band, over the aluminium equivalent.

This threshold has another advantage too: Eurocell has designed it so that it can be removed and replaced without removing the whole door if damaged.

Fully tested to BS 6375 and PAS 24 both on residential and French doors, the threshold complies with Part M of the Building Regulations (Access to and use of Buildings), which govern disabled access, when installed complete with a choice of specific ramps from the company.

www.eurocell.co.uk

REAL Aluminium is investing once again for its growing network of customers with the opening of a new showroom. The new 88m² showroom in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, is the first of its kind to be totally dedicated to the entire REAL Aluminium range of products – one of the widest collections in the industry.

The latest in a string of resources that REAL Aluminium has invested in for customers, the showroom displays the complete range of products from REAL – aluminium windows, sliding patio doors, residential doors, bi-folding doors, French doors, roof lanterns and Flat Rooflights. The showroom also features the new Virtu-AL aluminium effect composite door, which will be added to the REAL range in 2018.

The new showroom is available exclusively to REAL Aluminium customers to demonstrate the REAL range of products to homeowners. This is an enormous advantage for those installers who do not have their own showroom to display products in.

Gareth Thomas, Customade Group’s sales director, explains: “REAL Aluminium is one of the industry’s fastest growing brands and we’ve achieved this fantastic success because we are committed to supporting our customers. We know it’s crucial to provide them with everything they need to help them promote and sell aluminium and ultimately deliver results for their businesses.

“This showroom is part of our commitment to customers, enabling them to see and compare full-sized products in one place and appreciate their quality. The essence of REAL Aluminium is about helping installers to grow with confidence and this showroom helps them to get to know and understand the products and ask any questions about them.

“It’s also a brilliant sales tool for our installers to show off the collection of products. We know that homeowners are prepared to travel for this kind of purchase and we anticipate that a lot of installers – even those with customers who are slightly further afield – will benefit from it.

“The showroom is at our dedicated 35,000ft² REAL Aluminium factory and you really get a sense of the pace of manufacturing that goes on there. Even though we only moved into the factory last year, we’ve already far exceeded forecasts and expanded our operation. That’s a clear indicator of just how incredible the demand for REAL Aluminium is!”

To find out more about the REAL Aluminium range or to visit the new showroom, call 01453 826884 or visit www.real-aluminium.co.uk.

I know we talk a lot about security – it’s an important issue for homeowners, and a great selling point for installers who can offer peace of mind to their customers. Research shows 85% of homeowners put security top of the list when buying a new door. Add in the fact that in 76% of burglaries last year the bad guys got in through the front door and it’s clear that a secure, burglar-proof front door lock is the first and most effective defence against thieves.

Now, thanks to a video of a genuine attempted burglary we can watch and listen to a couple of to a couple of would-be thieves try their luck, captured via a homeowner’s video doorbell footage.

“I don’t think we’re able to do it,” says thief

Homeowner Amjid Khan was out for the day when his neighbours called him to say they thought someone had tried to break in. “When I got home”, says Amjid, “I saw the house was secure but someone had snapped the handle and the external barrel of the cylinder lock – they must have tried for several minutes. However, the main part of the cylinder was still in the door and stopped the burglars getting in. When I saw what happened I contacted a locksmith immediately – and I tweeted to recommend Ultion to everyone I knew.”

Amjid has a video doorbell fitted so the whole burglary attempt was recorded, including sound. There were two burglars caught on camera and it’s very satisfying to listen to their attempts to get past the lock. Eventually, after the first thief asks the other for a screwdriver as a last resort, he gives up, saying; “I don’t think we’re able to do it”.

Amjid’s Ultion lock had worked exactly as it is designed to. The two sacrificial sections on Ultion were snapped and the cylinder went into ‘Lock Down Mode’. The burglars couldn’t get to attack the lock because it was protected deep inside a solid molybdenum core – 25% denser than iron – and secured with a dedicated retaining pin. The only thing they could do was try and take the handle off. It snapped, but they couldn’t open the door because Ultion was still secure.

Amjid Khan is so impressed with the lock’s performance he is spreading the word. “The Ultion lock came as standard on my door,” he comments. “I’d asked the installer for a decent lock but didn’t realise how good it was until after the fact! I’m just so glad it stopped them getting in. It looks like they tried for more than three minutes.”

Amjid continues: “I specifically asked my locksmith for the same replacement lock and I’m upgrading the lock on the back door to Ultion too. I’ve recommended it to all my family and friends.”

Lock Lock handle completes the picture

In fact, Amjid’s locksmith suggested adding Brisant’s new high security handle Lock Lock, to go with the Ultion cylinder. It’s an uncomfortable fact that 58% of burglaries happened when someone was home, and 27% of homeowners actually see the intruder. The Lock Lock handle offers extra security when the homeowner is in. The extra layer of security comes with the unique spindle block. Simply flick the switch on the inside handle and the block is activated, so the door can’t be opened from the outside, even if the cylinder is breached. If the spindle can’t be turned the door just won’t open. Every element of the handle adds to its security. The cylinder on Lock Lock is recessed, making it more difficult for burglars to get to. Lock Lock’s seamless, curved, design means it’s harder to grasp the handle with mole grips and therefore very hard to remove. It’s an extra layer of security to give homeowners like Amjid extra peace of mind whether they’re in the house or not.

Installers replacing delivered locks with Ultion

Many installers are now offering Ultion locks as standard, replacing the locks which come from their fabricator. They say it’s worth the expense of buying a second cylinders to be able to sell the real-life Ultion security homeowners want. Mark Watson, Owner of Scotland’s leading PVC-U installer Advanced Group, says “Our policy is to be the best you can be, so why would we sell doors to homeowners with locks that open quickly? Our doors are great quality, so it would be ridiculous to sell them with a weak lock. We now get the door from our supplier, take out the lock they put in the door and replace it with Ultion for all our retail customers.”

Perhaps I should let Amjid have the last word: “I can’t recommend Ultion enough. It stopped some scumbags getting into my house after they’d done their best to break in.”

For more information on real-life security from Ultion and Lock Lock visit www.ultion-lock.co.uk and www.lock-lock.co.uk and follow @UltionLock and @LockLockSecure.

REHAU PVC-U windows have been specified for three schools in the south east of England, as its efficient, secure and easy to fit profiles are top of the class for the education sector.

The REHAU TOTAL70c top hung, outward opening casement windows in slate grey finish, were recommended for the installations at the Harris Primary Academy Shortlands (Bromley, Kent), Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred (Grays, Essex) and Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich (London) schools by contractor SEH Commercial.

The specification for the Harris Academy schools centred around three key areas; thermal insulation, sound insulation and security.

The thermal insulation qualities of the REHAU TOTAL70 range was key to the success of this project with energy costs and increasing obligations to reduce the carbon footprint now an important consideration for the public sector.This system is capable of exceeding all current building regulations and has achieved values required for Passivhaus installations. The TOTAL70 range also achieved the lowest possible U values and the best window energy rating (WER), demonstrating the ability to retain heat within the building, thus reducing loss of energy and minimising energy outgoings.

Noise abatement is essential for a school building, necessary to maintain a quiet working environment for pupils. The level of glazing is an important consideration here, however the TOTAL70c system was selected with its double and triple glazed sealed units and an acoustic specification provided to ensure the maximum sound insulation.

A school specification also demands high levels of security from an installation. The TOTAL70c profiles have achieved PAS 24 security standards and the multi-internal chambers allow further installation of larger steel reinforcements if required.

One of the major challenges of installing windows in an education setting is the very restricted timeframe for installations, which must be fitted either at weekends or during term breaks for retrofits, or to coincide with the opening of a new build school (normally the start of the academic year).

To help SEH Commercial stay on schedule, REHAU’s TOTAL70c window system is quick and easy to fit ensuring all three installations were completed within the tight timeframes.

Harris Academy were also keen to ensure its state-of-the-art schools were visually appealing for its staff and students, and the window design vision contributed to achieving a contemporary look for each of the academies. The Harris Primary Academy Shortlands in particular opted for dual colour windows. The windows were finished with a glazed in Louvre colour matched to the window profile to provide all seasons ventilation.

Kevin O’Neill, Commercial Sales Manager from REHAU, said: “Our TOTAL70c windows are particularly suitable for education applications due to a number of qualities they posses. From the high levels of thermal insulation they provide, to the noise abatement and the security features, the windows are a great solution to a number of requirements. The aesthetic qualities and colour variety often also play an important role.“

For further information please visit www.rehau.uk/windows and to view our case study in video form please go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVjP5PMpAi4