CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR THE 43RD PRESTIGIOUS NHIC ANNUAL AWARDS

Since 1974 the prestigious National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) Annual Awards have recognised achievement in UK Housing and have grown over the years to become highly regarded as the premier event in the home improvement and modernisation sector.

Entries are now invited from across the spectrum of housing modernisation projects and associated activities in the following five categories:

• Excellence in roofing through leadership and people development, sponsored by the NFRC
• Delivering community benefit through home improvement, sponsored by Quality Assurance
• Best use of aluminium systems for windows, doors and facades, sponsored by Schueco UK
• Innovation and education to reduce fuel poverty, sponsored by the NHIC Educational Trust
• George Plucknett Award for excellence

The National Home Improvement Council aims to encourage a vibrant renovation, modernisation and home improvement market in the private and public housing sectors.

“To maintain the highest standards of improvement in the Nation’s housing stock it is vital we reward those organisations who are striving and delivering excellence” says Anna Scothern, NHIC Chief Executive. “The NHIC Annual Award winners this year will, for the first time, feature in the winter edition of our consumer focussed magazine ‘Progress’ where we will showcase in detail the high quality professionalism and innovation being shown in the home improvement sector”

“We have supported the NHIC awards for many years, and are proud to do so again” says James Talman, Chief Executive of the NFRC, “…and with the NFRC’s focus on improvements in health and safety alongside leadership and people development it seemed a good opportunity to connect our organisational ambitions with this year’s Awards”.

To download an entry form, find out more information or book your place at the Awards event of the year, please visit www.nhic.org.uk/awards

The 43^rd NHIC Annual Awards Luncheon will be held on Thursday 17^th November 2017 at One Whitehall Place, London. Information regarding attendance and booking can be found at www.nhic.org.uk/awards

Picture above: VEKA Group and Friends of Burnley FC in the Community make a pitch perfect partnership.

The ‘clarets’ have made a new signing with Burnley-based VEKA Group as part of the Friends of Burnley FC in the Community programme.

Burnley FC in the Community is a stand-alone charity that works in Burnley and nearby communities on various projects. In less than a year since its launch in October 2016, ‘Friends of’ has already raised £20,000 through donations and fundraising activities to support its charitable work.

As the country’s leading PVC-U window systems company, VEKA Group is one of Burnley’s biggest employers, with a ‘team sheet’ of over 400 people from the town and surrounding areas. The Group takes an active role in the local community having also recently signed up as main sponsors for Rosegrove FC; a 300-strong club of young footballers aged from 3-13 years old.

VEKA Group won Employer of the Year at the recent Burnley Business Awards and Large Business Award at the 2017 Red Rose Awards, and is well-known in the area for its employee development and support; an asset which should be invaluable to Friends of Burnley FC in the Community when it comes to helping with the charity’s campaigning, fundraising and outreach programmes.

Gabriela Hammond, Head of Human Resources at VEKA Group said: “As a significant employer in the Burnley area, the number of people that work here or are associated with VEKA through spouses or relatives is huge, so we take a lot of pride in getting involved with the community. VEKA has a reputation within the local area for really valuing its employees; it knows they’re its biggest asset. What better way to show that than to give back to the community our employees and their families live in?

“VEKA also takes an active role in fundraising for Pendleside Hospice – one of our charities of the yeare – and sponsorship, as with Rosegrove FC, but the ‘Friends of’ programmes really gives VEKA the chance to share some of its business knowledge and acumen with local charities and causes to help them grow individually. Everyone at VEKA is very proud to be patrons of the Friends of Burnley FC in the Community programme, even the non-Burnley supporters!”

Ryan Bradley, Burnley FC in the Community’s Business Development Executive at Turf Moor added: “We couldn’t be happier to have VEKA Group as Silver patrons of our ‘Friends of’ programme. We as a charity are aiming to connect local businesses with community groups and causes so that companies can have a real and positive impact on the community. There are few better-known companies in the area than VEKA so to have them on board is a great ‘signing’ for us and we can’t wait to draw on their business expertise.”

www.vekauk.com

Picture above: Business Development Director, Andy Miller

One of the UK’s leading fabricators, Conservatory Outlet Ltd has launched a campaign to recruit new retailers to its exclusive network.

In the quest for 100% UK coverage, the Yorkshire based manufacturer is targeting installation companies in various areas throughout the UK in the search for new strategic retail partners.

After extensive research into specific areas and customer base, a short-list of potential retail partners has been drawn up to receive the multi-channel campaign over the coming months – those with local companies strong in sales, potential for growth & looking for more than just a supplier of windows & doors.

Conservatory Outlet boasts a significant growth over the last five years due to its 24 partners leading the way, some partners have growth up to 28%.

Business Development Director, Andy Miller adds “I am extremely proud to take this unique business model to new areas in the search for additional strategic partners. Conservatory Outlet has a proven track record of being able to add value to the companies we work with, our network model, support package and product offering is genuinely different to anything else that has emerged since the company entered the market a decade ago.”

With a unique business model and genuine network, Conservatory Outlet provides a tailored package to help retail partners achieve the best results, including an exclusive trading patch, a bespoke responsive website, pro-active lead generation, investment & support for new showrooms, digital marketing tools and regular benchmarking and best practice workshops. No two partners are in competition, and so ideas, knowledge and materials can be shared amongst members too dominate in their area.

Richard Manser from 5 Star Windows & Conservatories, Conservatory Outlet Network Member said “We’re extremely proud to have just opened our second showroom which has blown our customers away! The team at Conservatory Outlet have been instrumental in their advice, support and funding to get our ambitious project off the ground”.

Andy concludes “We’re looking for new network members that share our values in aiming to provide the most innovative mix of high-quality products, and living spaces whilst adding value, supported with best service possible for customers. “

For more information please visit: www.conservatoryoutlet.co.uk/join-us

Velux is offering its UK customers rewards, redeemable at a range of retailers, each time they buy white-painted roof windows and flat roof lights during September and October.
The exclusive promotion, which includes the world’s first curved glass roof light, is aimed at people working on autumn renovations and extensions projects.

Up to £65 of Velux rewards are available on flat glass and the new curved glass roof lights range. According to Velux, the curved glass top lets rainwater completely drain off, letting daylight shine through without raindrops ‘spoiling the view’. The eight different sizes of flat roof lights provide homeowners with flexibility and variety to match their room size.

Installers can also claim £25 rewards for every white-painted roof window they purchase, perfect says Velux, for homeowners wanting a lighter, brighter living space, as the white finish reflects more light back into a room.

Tesco and John Lewis online are the latest retailers to join the Velux Rewards scheme alongside M&S, Argos, Pizza Express, Thomas Cook, Ticketmaster and Curry’s PC World.

Richard McArthur, marketing manager from Velux said: “Autumn is traditionally a busy time for installers who are taking advantage of the better weather to carry out renovations and home improvement projects on behalf of homeowners.

“The promotion includes the entire Velux range that is available in white-painted, from manual, centre-pivot and top-hung standard roof windows to combination solutions, and remote controlled Velux Integra roof windows. We have also added our newest product, the curved glass rooflight, to complement our existing range of flat glass rooflights. These windows help create lighter, brighter interiors inside the home as well as improve the overall look of flat roof extensions.

“We know that our customers enjoy rewards that allow them to give themselves and their friends and families a treat, so whether you are a frequent installer of Velux products or use them just a few times a year, it really makes sense to join Velux Rewards and start earning points with every purchase.”

Installers have from 1 September – 31 October to buy products and earn rewards that they must claim for by 17 November. Velux rewards are redeemable only by registering to the scheme online at www.velux.co.uk/rewards.

The post Autumn rewards with Velux appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Aiming to make it even easier for their customers to connect with potential prospects, Insight Data has added new, intuitive design features to STEM, their brand-new, integrated email marketing platform for Salestracker.

STEM users can now design and build email campaigns using the platform’s straightforward ‘drag and drop’ feature, easily complying assets, textboxes and calls to action to create powerful email marketing campaigns. Alternatively, users who are confident with coding can create their campaigns in HTML or use one of STEM’s dynamic email templates.

“STEM has been designed to help customers connect with prospects much faster and easier by delivering a powerful email marketing platform within Salestracker to take advantage of our unrivalled industry-specific prospect data,” comments Insight Data General Manager, Jade Greenhow. “Developing and enhancing our design suite is the next step in that commitment and allows users to build their campaigns with ease without any in-depth computing knowledge.”

Launched last year, STEM transforms how leading systems houses, fabricators and component suppliers reach potential customers. Instead of exporting data from Salestracker to use in a third-party email marketing platform, users can design, build, test and send campaigns from within Salestracker and then track any responses, leads or enquiries.

The addition of STEM now means Salestracker completes the hat-trick, combining an online prospect database complete with over 60,000 prospects from across the fenestration and construction industries, a powerful CRM system to manage enquiries and now a fully-integrated, email marketing platform.

Insight Data are the pioneers of real-time data which through an extensive seven-stage verification process provides the most up-to-date, accurate prospect data including key decision makers, suppliers and even credit ratings. Salestracker users can create bespoke data lists for their STEM campaigns from across Insight Data’s five databases including fenestration and glazing, house builders and even architects.

For a demo of Salestracker and STEM, contact Insight Data on 01934 808293or via email at hello@insightdata.co.uk.

Picture above: John Higgs – Project Consultant

As the demand for Aluprof systems continues to increase across the UK, two new Project Consultants have joined the rapidly expanding UK division.

John Higgs joined the team in July and covers London and the Southern region.  Having extensive knowledge of fenestration systems, especially their applications and specification, John brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. “I wanted to join Aluprof as I feel they have a wide range of systems that can cope with any project requirement in the UK, no matter what size or complexity.  I particularly enjoy getting involved at early design stages where bespoke design solutions are required and I get particular job satisfaction sharing experiences through CPD presentations and feedback.”  John’s interest outside of Aluprof include travel, golf and motorcycling.

Andrew Pease also joined the team in July and covers the Northern region.  Andrew’s background is in project design and estimating, so is well placed to offer the company’s principles of Value Management to any project.  “I believe my background in Mechanical Engineering offers me a valuable insight to the challenges of design and specification of fenestration systems.  Having practical and on-site design experience I am able to offer product support, particularly in structural and interface design requirements.”  When not supporting specifiers, Andrew can be found cooking Greek dishes and exploring the great outdoors.

Aluprof’s philosophy encompasses the principles of ‘Value Management’ which looks across the facade supply chain to offer the best value for each bespoke project requirement. This innovative approach enables Aluprof to be highly competitive on any size, complexity or location of any project.

The companys’ extensive range of systems extend to unitised curtain walling, sliding folding doors, commercial doors systems and a wide range of window systems all of which are increasingly being specified on a variety of residential and commercial projects across the UK.  All systems are designed and installed by selected, specially trained companies to ensure each product meets Aluprof’s exacting standards.  Further information is available on the company website at aluprof.co.uk and specialist advice is available directly from Aluprof’s UK offices on 0161 941 4005.

Yale is proud to be headline sponsor of National Home Security Month (NHSM) for its fifth year this October. Highlighting the importance of home security, NHSM is driving demand for security products and installation services nationwide.

In the UK, a quarter of homeowners admit to having no home security measures in place* with most turning to security reactively when something goes wrong, rather than preventing the issue beforehand. NHSM is trying to change this attitude, by pushing home security to the forefront of people’s minds at a time when statistics show domestic burglaries increase. This presents a lucrative opportunity to installers and fabricators alike to raise awareness of the subject and engage with customers.

Paul Atkinson, Sales and Commercial Director for Yale, commented: “NHSM has always been a great campaign for us to get involved with as its key objectives are closely aligned with the values and messaging we at Yale promote. It also takes place during October, coinciding with the clocks going back – a pivotal point for security sales and when consumers awareness of home security peaks.

“The new ‘Child’s Play’ theme is ideal for homeowners by showcasing the simplicity of home security. What’s more, the weekly themes provide us with an ideal opportunity to promote our range of products and services from the smart security focus of our Smart Living offering to the traditional hardware that Yale is synonymous for.”

Week two is of particular significance for door and window fabricators and installers, as it looks at securing the entry points of a home and valuables within it. This provides an ideal opportunity to up-sell British Standard locking solutions, such as the Yale Conexis, Platinum 3 and 1 Star cylinder and Platinum 2 Star cylinder pull as well as all the usual high security locking mechanisms for doors and windows, and to also ensure that customers are promoting solutions that meet the most up-to-date standards.

What’s more, a number of homeowners are put off DIY home security solutions due to time constraints and being unfamiliar with new products. This presents an ideal opportunity for fabricators and installers as 40% of consumers agree that they’d prefer to use a professional to install home security solutions as opposed to trying their hand at a DIY job**.

However, opportunities are not limited to week two. More and more trade professionals are investing in smart security devices such as smart door locks and smart home alarms that can be controlled and configured at the touch of a button. As a result, week three of the campaign presents ample opportunity to promote the Smart Living range of products, providing installers with a great opportunity to capitalise on a growing marketplace.

Week four coincides with the clocks going back and onset of the darker evenings. As a result, this week explores how homeowners can protect their properties and secure their gardens and outbuildings. The final week of the campaign has a seasonal focus, centering on Halloween and Bonfire Night – statistically the worst time of year for domestic burglaries and damage. This is an opportunity to promote TS008 compliant letterplate restrictor to prevent key fishing and lock manipulation.

Fabricators, distributors and installers will be offered support to provide consumers with details on how to ensure their door and window security meets required standards and also to promote their services. NHSM supporters will also receive a range of promotional collateral that can be distributed to customers to help raise awareness of the campaign.

For further information about National Home Security Month please visit www.homesecuritymonth.com or contact info@homesecuritymonth.com. For information about Yale DWS, head over to www.yaledws.co.uk.

*The Express

**Yale