Hueck Products Selected For £50m Wembley Development

Hueck has supplied its aluminium systems for a 699-bedroom student accommodation building overlooking Olympic Way’s approach to Wembley Stadium.

Unite Olympic Way is a £50m development offering high-quality en-suite and studio rooms in the regenerated area of Wembley, home to the world-famous football stadium and newly built retail outlet centre.

It also offers quick links to universities, with central London less than 20 minutes away via the tube.

The 19-storey tower was developed with a focus on communal areas. There is a shared rec room and study area throughout as well as external roof terraces on the second and seventeenth floors.

The building features a traditional concrete frame and a mix of curtain walling and Vitrobond aluminium cladding.

Hueck supplied its aluminium (windows and doors) for 600+ dorm rooms and communal areas. The project was completed in August 2016 and officially opened in October of that year.

Leon Friend, Director at Hueck, commented: “Unite Olympic Way is a striking building located next to the stadium so it needed products that had wow factor. Our products not only set the standard in performance, they are designed to be aesthetically pleasing – featuring ultra slim sightlines and a consistent appearance in-line with our other systems.”

Unite Olympic Way is part of one of the largest regeneration projects in the country. According to the Mayor of London it can accommodate approximately 11,500 new homes and 10,000 new jobs through the development of sites along Wembley High Road and the land around Wembley Stadium.

Hueck has been involved in several regeneration projects over the past few years, drawing residents and investors alike into the UK’s urban hotspots.

Leon comments: “Regeneration reverses economic, social and physical decline in previously neglected areas that are perceived as undesirable by investors and potential house buyers. By tackling the barriers to growth, regeneration helps create thriving communities that in turn allow businesses and the economy to prosper.”

For more information on how Hueck can help you with your next commercial project contact leon.friend@hueck.com or visit www.hueck.com.

The warning issued by KJM Group to installers about the importance of protecting their business by registering their business name as a Trademark has won the support of national consumer Watchdog Which?

KJM Group warned that installers could be losing out to copycat advertisers who exploit their brand and local reputation online, after being targeted by a competitor business, which used KJM Windows name in Google Ads but then linked to its own website.

Because KJM Group had not registered its name as Trademark, the practice was perfectly legal. As such it also meant KJM could not challenge the use of its name with Google.

The warning has now been picked up by Which? and issued to its Trusted Trader network, of which KJM Group is also a member.

Which? urges fellow members to watch out for ‘sharp business practices’ and encourages businesses to register their brands as Trademarks. It warns that ‘registering your businesses name with Companies House, is not the same as protecting it with a Trademark’.

Mark Pearce, Managing Director, KJM Group, said: “It’s been a very frustrating time but the positive is that we have been able to raise awareness of the importance of registering your company name as a trademark to other installers and members of the Which? Trusted Traders scheme.”

KJM Windows and Conservatories, issued its warning after, Cheapest Double Glazing, registered to an address in London, ran a series of Google Ads in April. These used the header ‘KJM Windows – Top Quality Windows and Doors – cheapest-double-glazing.com’.

“We hadn’t registered our company name as a Trademark – something that we have now done – which meant that it wasn’t protected and we had no real right of legal redress, even though the advertisements used our company name and traded off our reputation”, continued Mark.

“And because we hadn’t registered the KJM Windows as a Trademark, we also couldn’t make any headway with or get it removed by Google.

“This is something we’re now taking up with our MP as in our opinion laws are not keeping up with increasingly sharp advertising practices online.”

Registration of a Trademark gives you the exclusive right to use the mark or authorise someone else to use it, for the goods or services for which it is registered. This includes the legal basis for action against someone who uses it to promote the same or similar goods for which its registered.

This also empowers businesses to seek specific redress from Google under its own code of practices.

Businesses who have not registered their company names as Trademarks can seek redress in Common Law under ‘Passing-off’ legislation. This puts the onus on the complainant to evidence their use of a brand or business name and the inferred ownership of it from this.

To find out more visit www.kjmgroup.co.uk email the sales team on 01264 359355 or sales@kjmgroup.co.uk.

Respected fabricator Dempsey Dyer has unveiled a brand-new website to coincide with its fortieth anniversary.

The cutting-edge site, designed by industry marketing specialists Purplex, showcases the vast range of quality timber and uPVC windows, doors and conservatories the Pontefract firm has to offer.

Structured around the three core areas of Dempsey Dyer’s business, the site features one section promoting its services to trade customers, one section focusing on its respected and increasingly in-demand commercial installations service, and one section dedicated to its consumer-facing Inspire brand.

Fully optimised for display on mobile devices, and packed with the kind of clear, engaging content that Google rewards with high search rankings, the new site is a fantastic introduction to Dempsey Dyer, its long history, and the extensive range of products it provides.

“We’re absolutely delighted with the new site,” commented company Managing Director Peter Dyer. “It’s the perfect way to celebrate our fortieth anniversary, and lets us start the next forty years as we mean to go on.

“Inevitably, the future will bring its changes and challenges that need to be overcome. But going forward, our focus will be the same as its always been – on producing the best, highest quality products we possibly can, offering our customers the widest choice we possibly can, and providing doing our utmost to help installers win more business and grow.”

Dempsey Dyer was founded in 1977 by brothers Tom and Bob Dyer. In the decades since, the Yorkshire-based fabricator has grown to become one of the region’s foremost providers of timber and Deceuninck uPVC. In recent years, the company has combined the two specialisms to produce the Beaumont window range, mechanically-jointed uPVC frames with an authentic woodgrain appearance.

For more information call 01977 649641 or visit www.dempseydyer.co.uk

When Manchester-based Excell Trade Frames was awarded the contract to replace the windows in a student accommodation block for the Sanctuary Group, the company set to work immediately on the fabrication of the 1,100 REHAU frames required for the job – as well as a plan to overcome the challenge of installing them in a 17-storey building, without access from inside.

Wardley House is a student accommodation block in the centre of Bradford, providing high-quality, modern living for up to 290 students from the University of Bradford and Bradford College. Located above the National Media Museum, the complex was in need of an upgrade so owners Sanctuary Group invested £1.5m in a refurbishment project to be completed in time for the 2016 academic intake.

The scope of the work included the replacement of 1,100 windows, new lighting, the replacement of the water and heating system and a facelift for reception/common room areas.

The building’s existing windows were single-glazed, metal frame windows, which were inefficient and in a poor state of repair. The contractor on the job, City Gate Construction, worked with REHAU on a dedicated specification to meet Sanctuary Group’s vision for the refurbishment and the use of REHAU’s TOTAL70 profiles was agreed.

REHAU’s TOTAL70 casement windows are designed to meet the requirements of commercial and domestic refurbishment projects, as well as new builds. Available as either chamfered or sculptured profiles, the windows have single leg beads to provide easy but secure on-site glazing.

As TOTAL70 profiles are PVC-U, they guarantee maximum energy efficiency yet are low maintenance for building operators. So for Sanctuary Group, the windows will be very much fit and forget.

To give a modern, contemporary look, the spec for the TOTAL70 profiles included a grey laminate foil so that the windows and glazing would look completely grey – even with the sun shining on it.

Excell Trade Frames, a REHAU approved manufacturer and supplier, won the contract to replace the windows at Wardley House. With a factory in nearby Manchester, Excell measured and manufactured all the windows for the job and transported them to site in Bradford. The installation of the windows had to be carefully planned, as this had to be done from the outside of the building.

Eddie McGrath, commercial Sales Manager at Excell said: “In a previous refurbishment, false walls had been put up in front of the windows, giving students access to them via a meter square hatch. Unfortunately, this meant that we  couldn’t get complete access to the windows from the inside of the building – the only way was from the outside!”

Scaffolding was put up around the building to help with the complex installation. Eddie devised a plan with four teams of fitters, who took out the old metal windows and lowered them to the ground, before hoisting up the 3m² PVC-U replacements and installing them in position. The planning paid off, and Eddie’s team managed to complete a floor every week to finish the installation in just four months.

Matt Janicki, Area Sales Manager for the North West for REHAU Windows Solutions, said: “This was a large scale, complex project, but thanks to a well considered specification and careful planning of the installation, the new windows have unquestionably transformed the exterior of the building. Wardley House is a landmark for students and locals in Bradford and the TOTAL70 windows provide a fresh new look for the building to make it look modern and appealing while reducing energy and maintenance costs for Sanctuary Group.”

www.rehau.com

It’s August, which usually means a slow news month. But you cannot help but feel as though there are some very dark clouds gathering over certain parts of the window industry right now.

Share prices sliding for some of our biggest publicly traded companies. Profit warnings from national installers. Entu on the brink. Reports that sales are down at some of the industry’s biggest companies anywhere between 5-15%. It has not been a good few months if you’re one of the biggest in our sector.

That being said, talk to many small to medium sized installers and fabricators and they will tell you something very different. Sales are healthy, margins are good, and all the signs are that 2017 will be better than the year previous. So why the stark difference?

I believe the industry is approaching a rather serious crisis point and it’s approaching it very quickly, and depending on which part of the market you sit at, you’ll either do very well or you need to start thinking about your future.

Bad business model karma

I have long written about all the things that are bad with the old way of selling to home owners in this industry. The residential market has changed quite drastically in the last decade or so. Home owners have become much more discerning when it comes to purchasing new windows and doors, and quite rightly so. The internet has helped. And now we have a much more educated, wise and wary residential market that knows when they’re being taken for a ride.

Yet, many retail companies have continued to run a business model that includes door to door lead generation, heavy discounting and hard-sell tactics. All of which home owners are shunning and won’t entertain. They know to dismiss them. As a result, according to reports, sales at some of the biggest national retailers who also use these antiquated business models and sales tactics are being slammed. Many have said that if selling like this continues, these sorts of companies will fall by the wayside.

Add to that a whole raft of price increases in the past year or so, and karma has bitten back hard. With sales dropping and material prices increasing, margins are being eroded and revenues are falling fast at some businesses. This effect travels further up the supply chain, to those who supply the major regional and national installers with their materials. If their customers struggle, they struggle too.

The Epwin Group trading update last week was an example of that. They supply to a lot of companies, and some of those are the very ones struggling on the sales side. When their customers suffer, they suffer too. Hence we saw their share price plummet almost 20% in s single day. With all the stories circulating inside the industry right now, this is perhaps the most important.

For many of our largest companies and groups, we are approaching a pivotal moment. Business models have to change. The way large installers approach their sales has to change. For some, such as Entu, the damage is probably already done. For some, there is time to change, but it has to be now. To continue the status quo, bury heads in sand and assume that things will revert back to the old ways would be plain stupid.

The environment in which we all operate has now changed, and changed for good. As much as many would like, prices are never coming back down. Price increases that were blamed on Brexit and Sterling falls are never going to be reversed. We are all going to have to get used to charging more for our goods, and when you look at the wider picture that’s probably how it should be. Our prices are hardly different to what they were a couple of decades ago. It’s probably time home owners started paying more for what we sell. For the SME’s in our industry, those who work in smaller scales and can adapt their products to warrant higher prices, this is easier to manage. For the larger companies who operate on volume on lesser quality products this is where it is going to hurt.

But it is those early adopters of change. Those who saw that best way to survive and indeed thrive was by seeking out a higher end offering. A more bespoke service for home owners where shiny white plastics wasn’t the only choice available to them.

Many small to medium sized installers and fabricators identified quite a few years ago that niche products, higher end offerings were the way to attract new customers, more discerning customers and improve profit margins. Many SME installers also operate a much more laid back approach to sales, which given the higher end nature of products now being sold, is the right thing to do. You wouldn’t expect home owners to make instant decisions on home improvement products which can often cost into five figures.

Speak to SME installers and fabricators today and they will tell you that business is good. Sales and revenues strong, lead levels good. In total contrast to the commentary surrounding the biggest in our industry. Often the “shiny white” part of our industry.

Question is, is it too late for the bigger companies to change? We all know the trouble Entu is in. KPMG are trying their best to save the group, but the last update didn’t inspire confidence, and the talk at the moment is that it’s probably now too late. According to reports and industry commentary the biggest installers are suffering too. I also doubt their ability to ever change their ways. They will always sell the way they always have. And home owners will continue to resist that way of sales in the years to come, which means sales from tele-canvassing and door-knocking will continue to fall. I also believe that we are edging closer to laws being introduced that will ban the use of cold calling both via phone and door-step. The more companies abuse the rules, ignore them or find ways round them, the more likely the whole practise might be banned.

Personally, I believe that we’re only a few years away from seeing the landscape of our industry changing forever, driven by changing consumer habits. That will affect the very biggest suppliers too, as they supply those who may be hit worst by big changes in consumer spending. This is how serious I believe the situation to be right now. I believe that we are now at the start of what could be a very disruptive evolution of our industry. I know that sounds dramatic, but take a minute or two to read the trading updates of some of our biggest. Take a look at the share prices of our publicly traded companies. Look at what is happening at Entu.

The movement is already happening. It could be a very dramatic few weeks and months coming up in UK fenestration.

Residence is ‘Best windows’ finalist at Build-It Awards

PVC-U systems company, Residence Collection, has been shortlisted in the ‘Best Windows’ category of the national Build-It awards.

The prestigious annual event recognises innovation and excellence in the custom and self-build sector, bringing together architects, manufacturers and key industry figures. Residence entered its new, flush sash window R7, which is said to offer outstanding benefits in performance, looks and design. The entry included a case study where R7 was chosen for a replacement installation because of its ‘authentic design and character’. The property owners were looking for timber windows but were said to be ‘immensely impressed by the quality, style, and timber-alternative solution of R7. They said the windows had ‘transformed’ their home.

Residence Collection general manager, Sarah Hitchings, said: “We’re extremely pleased to be shortlisted for these awards. We’ve been active in developing and positioning our systems as the best flush sash windows on the market. Our strong growth this year and achievements like this are a credit to our team’s efforts and success.

“R9 is an established timber-alternative flush sash system targeted at the super premium market. It’s ideal for period or heritage properties, or those in conservation areas,” continues Sarah. “R7 is the new kid on the block. A uniquely flush system, inside and out, it opens up a new market for us in high-end contemporary homes and self-builds, modern new builds and city apartments. We’re looking forward to the award ceremony and keeping our fingers crossed!”

The winners will be announced on 22nd September in London.

www.residencecollection.co.uk

The post Residence up for a Build-It award appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Aluminium specialist CDW Systems recently supplied its products for a new waterfront restaurant in Guernsey.

Octopus Bar and Restaurant is located on the south side of Havelet Bay in St Peter Port, Guernsey.

The restaurant boasts ‘one of the best views in Guernsey’ towards Herm, Jethou and Sark and encompasses a maritime and explorer theme that extends to a varied international menu including locally freshly sourced seafood.

CDW Systems supplied curtain walling and wide-span sliding doors for the project, which were installed by Stainless Steel Fabrications.

Sapa’s Elegance 52 is a high-performance curtain walling system designed to meet the demands of modern architecture. With a 52mm width, Elegance 52 offers slim sightlines while maintaining the necessary strength requirements.

The project also incorporated Visoglide Plus sliding doors from Smarts. The system is ideal for maximising light and space in commercial projects, and delivers superior thermal performance.

Mike Davis, Managing Director of CDW Systems, comments: “We’re delighted to have our products included in this project. Octopus encapsulates a sleek and modern aesthetic internally so it was important the exterior matched.

“Our products combine contemporary styling with unmatched performance that is ideal for a marine environment to protect against unpredictable weather and salt corrosion.”

CDW Systems has been operating for over twenty-five years as an aluminium specialist, manufacturing and supplying a wide range of windows, doors, shop fronts and curtain walling, using some of the leading aluminium profile systems on the market.

For more information call 01452 414853 or visit www.cdwsystems.co.uk

Online lead generation business Leads2trade is gearing up for a record year after posting strong sales figures for the first half of 2017.

Leads2trade has seen high demand for its services, culminating in a 15% increase in lead volumes compared to last year.

The positive trading figures have set Leads2trade on course to achieve a record end of year turnover, come the end of the year.

The news follows the recent expansion of the business, with Leads2trade acquiring an additional 3000 sq ft. of office space in a neighbouring building to its Stockport-based headquarters.

Director Andy Royle comments: “We have now officially settled into the expanded office space and have taken on four new members of staff as we gear up for further growth.

“We have seen an influx of new customers and existing clients wanting to break into new markets using our specialist lead generation services. Our growth shows consumer spending is still strong and homeowners are choosing to invest across a wide range of products and services.”

Leads2trade generate thousands of leads per month for companies operating in the home improvement market, with the core sectors including windows, doors and conservatories, security and heating and plumbing.

These leads are then double qualified by Leads2trade’s in-house call centre and passed onto members of its popular Trusted Local Supplier network, in postcodes of their choice. They can receive leads instantly via email and SMS and use the company’s appointment booking and hot key transfer service.

Director Andy Royle says while growth has remained consistent across the business, Leads2trade has received particularly high demand for replacement conservatory roof leads.

He comments: “As we move into summer, now is the time many homeowners look to make renovations and upgrades to their homes such as replacing conservatory roofs. Solid tile roofs are a popular option as they don’t leave the room too hot in the sun and will keep the conservatory warm enough when winter rolls around.”

For more information on Leads2trade please visit www.leads2trade.co.uk or call 01614 660099

Image Above: Chris Jones, Dean Halfpenny, Adam Coleman

Kent-based facade contractor Prima Systems (SE) Ltd has promoted two of its long-standing team members to the Board of Directors with the aim of driving business growth and profitability.

Adam Coleman and Chris Jones – who are both long-standing members of the team – have become Technical Sales Director and Contracts Director respectively.

Adam, who recently celebrated his 20th year at Prima Systems, will continue to head up the Estimating team with a focus on lead generation and product innovation whilst sharing his vast technical knowledge with our clients.

Following the announcement Adam said “The fenestration industry and the wider construction industry as a whole have changed dramatically since my first days as a trainee estimator and it still faces many great challenges – an aging labour force, tighter margins, new technology and new methods of construction. As part of the team at Prima I have witnessed/experienced these first-hand but happily we have always been able to rise up to these challenges and push the company to meet them. There have been ups and downs as with any business but I am extremely happy to have been part of such a great company and to be offered the chance of joining the board of directors was very humbling. I very much look forward to helping the company achieve its ambitions now and in the future”.

Chris, who joined the company in 1999, will lead the Contracts Team and ensure we continue to deliver the best service and client support as we have for many years. Chris’ dedication to each project we undertake is fundamental to our success and his industry know-how will be vital as the company develops over the coming years.

Contracts Director Chris Jones said “Prima Systems has a solid reputation, a fantastic team and a first class client base so helping to steer the growth of the team into its next phase of development is a very exciting prospect. 2016 was a year of change for the company with the introduction of rainscreen cladding bringing new challenges and development opportunities, I hope to build upon the foundations laid by the whole team to cement Prima’s position as the undoubted choice for the design and installation of integrated facade solutions. I am honoured to be joining the board of Directors and look forward to working together to grow our business further”.

2016/17 was a year of great success and growth for the company with the highest number of orders received valued at £6.5 million. The introduction of cladding to the product range has increased the demand on the team but we are pleased to report several successful projects have now been completed with more enquiries coming in. Chris and Adam have been instrumental in the company’s success and we look forward to the future and further strengthening the company’s position.

Managing Director Dean Halfpenny said of the announcement, “A key part of the company’s strategic 5-year plan was the strengthening of the high-level management team. The appointment of Adam and Chris as directors is the first step in achieving this aim. The company is forever developing and adapting to suit the challenging demands within the construction sector and a strong and varied management team is key to Prima’s continued success. Adam and Chris’ input at board level will be instrumental in achieving our targets and goals going forward”.

Adam and Chris will sit on the board alongside Managing Director Dean Halfpenny and Directors David Halfpenny, Sue Halfpenny, Ross Halfpenny and Maria Halfpenny.

For more information, please contact the Marketing department on 01304 843625 or email osbornh@primasystems.co.uk

primasystems.co.uk