GGF Group Chief Executive raises his concerns after Carillion collapse

Following the collapse of Carillion this week Phil Pluck, GGF Group Chief Executive raises his concerns.  “As the assessment of the true damage continues following the collapse of Carillion, it does raise some fundamental issues in terms of protecting both smaller companies caught up in the collapsing supply chains and the jobs that may be lost as a result.

The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has sympathy with local government and other bodies tasked with delivering major build projects on ever decreasing Government funding. This creates a race to the bottom in terms of procurement practice in that more and more major contracts are awarded based on the lowest price.

This is a poor, short term approach which causes companies throughout the supply chain to operate at almost impossible margins. The companies that the GGF represents operate to the highest standards of manufacture, supply and installation. As a result of short term procurement practices and Government’s fixation with cost savings, a clear risk has been built into major construction projects.

GGF Members aim to be – and many are – the best in the world in their given sector and collectively the membership represents over 30,000 jobs in the UK alone. A cost cutting approach to the awarding of contracts puts at risk build quality, safety and jobs. In doing so, no legal protection is afforded to those in the supply chain that are now the victims of the Carillion Collapse. This in turn could result in further company failures and consequent losses of jobs and talent.

A knee-jerk reaction comprised of Government rescue packages to selected companies is of no reassurance to GGF Member companies and does not allow them to plan for long term sustainability. A lasting negative effect on Government tax revenue would be the result.

I urge the Government to assess the long term damage that short term cost savings creates and to take heed that Carillion may not be the last company to collapse as a result. There are other major supply chains also operating at near impossible margins.”

Phil Pluck 

GGF Group Chief Executive 

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Solid roof innovator, LEKA Systems, has just reported a doubling of order volume in 2017. Rhys Hoddinott, Director of LEKA, says: “The solid roof market is booming and we’ve got (what our customers tell us) are the best-in-class products in the sector as our 2017 sales growth shows.”

Alongside the impressive sales growth, Rhys also reports that his company has run over 50 product and sales training courses to over 400 personnel to help them get up and running with the new products quickly. Rhys says: “LEKA products add incredible value to a portfolio and our training package helps new installers see that value as soon as possible.”

LEKA has two products: the LEKA Warm Roof and the LEKA Orangery Roof. The company claims the latest product, which will be launched in March, will deliver the same compelling, on-trend features homeowners love.

The LEKA Warm Roof delivers thermal efficiency thanks to the unique GRP construction, which results in a U value of just 0.15 W/m²K. It has a longer lifespan than the traditional tile, concrete or slate alternatives, making it a better investment. The roof is available in any design, can incorporate Velux rooflights and offers a bigger span and a lower pitch, giving it versatility. It’s good for installers too: there are fewer elements to install than on a traditional solid conservatory roof, so on site installation typically takes just two to three days, including removing the old conservatory roof.

The LEKA Orangery Roof has the same exceptional thermal efficiency as the Warm Roof, which makes it the perfect solution for homeowners wanting to extend their homes to create bigger kitchens, living spaces and dining rooms. Like the Warm Roof, it’s quick and easy to install, taking two men one day (excluding the lantern and roof membrane).

www.lekasystems.co.uk

Nowadays the use of software for the calculation of parameters of heat protection and building physics is indispensable in the house building industry. To meet the growing demands of legislators regarding these programs, the Sommer Informatik GmbH has optimized its proven software solution WinIso^® according to the new standard DIN EN ISO 10077-2: WinIso^® is used to calculate two-dimensional heat and vapor diffusion currents, isotherms, U_F– and Psi-values with a DXF interface – this provides important data to define the thermal insulation properties of frame profiles and to integrate them into the building design. The optimized software was validated at the beginning of November 2017 by the renowned ift Rosenheim.

“The revision of the ISO 10077-2 standard for the calculation of building physics values changed the methods of calculation of U_F-values significantly”, explains Roland Steinert, external technical consultant of the Sommer Informatik GmbH. „In order to meet the requirements of the new standard, the WinIso^® software had to be revised accordingly.” The integrated CAD-Editor and the FEM-calculation in combination with the standard DIN EN ISO 10077-2 enable the user to get a detailed calculation result – especially in the area of ventilated cavities. The method of 2012, which was used before, did not correspond to the latest state of the technology and was also not precise enough in calculating a single equivalent conductance for heat conduction, convection and radiosity for each heat flow direction. “The improved method allows a separate evaluation of radiation heat transfer and convection, which is much more efficient. For heat conduction and convection an equivalent rectangle is evaluated, which is aligned at the used heat flow direction in the profile”, explains Steinert. Additionally, features for a fast and intuitive handling have been added and more editing and calculation capabilities are implemented in the proven software.

The method of meshing a rectangle, which is known from previous versions, has been replaced by a finite-element triangular meshwork, which now enables the user to map any geometric details in the software. The new version of WinIso^® was certified by the ift Rosenheim after almost a year of development and optimization work.

“We have already been working with this test institute for more than 20 years. The previous software version got its validation there, too”, says Steinert. In Europe, the ift is particularly well-known and is regarded as a specialist for assessing the usability of building products. “The certification is done by extremely strict rules, also normatively controlled according to the legal requirements as well as those of ift Rosenheim”, Steinert explains how the institute is working. Additionally to the public validation, the ift Rosenheim in corporation with Sommer Informatik provides professional trainings contributing to building physics, heat protection, statics and similar topics for customers and employees.

(Further information you can find at: www.sommer-informatik.de)

Simon Clarke has been confirmed as the new General Manager of Global Glass, overseeing daily operations at their four UK based sites.

Previously of Glass Systems Group, Simon joins the glass company owned by Synseal Group to replace Mark Cerrone, who has taken up a Director role at The Glass Machinery Company Ltd.

In Simon’s role as General Manager, he will oversee the company’s four glass production facilities in Nottinghamshire, Blackburn, Wigan and Essex, reporting to Glass Managing Director Derren Gittins, who joined Global Glass last April. Since then, glass orders have increased by 40%, filling the additional capacity gained in the purchase of Global Glass Essex in December 2016.

With more than 28 years’ experience in glass processing, Simon started his career as a plant engineer before spending two decades in domestic IGU manufacture as both an Operations Manager and General Manager at various businesses within Pilkington. He has subsequently spent the last two years in the role of UK General Manager at Glass Systems Group.

Commenting on his appointment, Simon said: “I am delighted to be joining the Global Glass team at Synseal Group. This is an industry and customer base that I know very well and I’m looking forward to using the expertise gained from many years at Pilkington and Glass Systems Group to help improve Synseal Group’s already impressive glass business, with the aim of giving our customers the very best possible quality and service across the whole of the UK.”

Derren Gittins, Glass MD for Synseal Group, added: “Simon joins us at a very exciting time, following us winning Glass Company of the Year at the G17 Awards last year. He has a proven track record in the glass business of building and maintaining excellent operational standards and will help us in our campaign to become recognised as a world class manufacturer.”

Secondary glazing experts Incarnation are seeing surging interest in their top-end Deluxe product.

Launched last year, Deluxe is the highest-spec offering the firm has ever released, designed to emulate the classic stylings of a traditional sash window, and making it perfect for period properties and conservation areas.

Its glass panels can be latch-released and dropped down onto fully shackled stay arms equipped with a quick-release system, which lets users fully remove the sash panels. Once-tricky tasks like cleaning and lifting are therefore made considerably easier.

Capable of achieving heights up to 3m and incorporating 8.8mm acoustic glazing, the tilt-to-clean, vertical-sliding Deluxe is one of the most advanced and versatile secondary glazing products on the market.

Incarnation Director Paul Bygrave comments: “With Deluxe, we’re offering something completely unique. It’s not only a best-in-class product that excels in every respect, it’s the only SDG model on the market that offers fully removable sashes – maximising convenience for the installer, and allowing egress in emergencies.

“We’ve experienced rapid growth over the last twelve months – taking on several new employees to keep pace with demand – and given the massive interest we’re now seeing in Deluxe, that looks set to continue.”

Born an offshoot of sash window experts Roseview, but now a resoundingly successful business in its own right, Buckinghamshire-based Incarnation offers two complete secondary glazing suites – the Classic Collection, and the Optimum Collection.

The Classic Collection is aimed squarely at the domestic and heritage markets, featuring an extensive array of ultra-slim profiles to suit virtually any style. Optimum, meanwhile, has been designed for large-scale commercial projects.

For more information call 01234 240404, email paul@incarnationwindows.co.uk  or visit www.incarnationwindows.co.uk

The market for conservatory roof replacements is on a high says Prefix Systems and one of the latest jobs carried out by Stevenage-based Conserv-A-Tech, shows that consumers still yearn for the appeal of a glazed roof. As part of Prefix’s proven Refurbish My Conservatory scheme, Conserv-A-Tech have access to dedicated marketing materials, along with specific products for roof replacements. These products have been specially designed by Prefix for these types of applications and include Retro-Fix posts to carry the additional loading of glass or even solid roofs and Bi-Span to support the structural requirements for large openings.

With around 3 million existing conservatories installed in the UK and many first-generation ones glazed in tired polycarbonate, there’s an important market sector emerging. Over the last 10 years the market has also seen the rapid development of specialist solar control glass with u-values now down to 1.0W/(m2K) and so glass is now very much the dominant glazed material. Eric Knappett, owner and director of Conserv-A-Tech said: “Conservatory roof replacements are becoming more prevalent in terms of our sales opportunities. As a diligent company, it’s re-assuring to know that we have a supporting brand and product range specific to this sector which is boosted by the outstanding customer service levels from Prefix.”

Chris Cooke, co-director of Prefix Systems concluded: “Companies of the calibre of Conserv-A-Tech are a shining example of how the conservatory and glazed extension market is evolving. Replacements are becoming a more important part of the revenue stream for the sector, yet we must be mindful of the design considerations and structural loadings for each individual project, it’s a must for the sector to ensure the products installed are fully fit for purpose.”

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Virtuoso Doors claims it is set to take door manufacturing to a new level in 2018 and awaken the homeowner to the unique beauty of an individually designed and crafted Virtuoso door. Following a recent investment in additional cutting edge machinery and a radical re-launch to underline the crafted precision that goes into manufacturing every Virtuoso door, the team of expert craftsmen at Virtuoso will be bringing more Virtuoso doors to life.

Tony Craggs, managing director of Virtuoso Doors, explains: “This is going to be a very big year for Virtuoso Doors and the whole team is geared up to make it a massive success. Making doors is a real labour of love for us and we’ve worked hard to reinforce this passion with a perfect combination of craftsmanship and precision engineering. This crafted precision will help us take our standard of door manufacturing to the next level with accuracy and detailing that only machinery can achieve.

“These advances are not at the expense of the human eye though and our workshop is brimming with master craftsmen who are devoted to making the best doors possible. Their experienced hands make our doors with genuine love, care and attention at every stage – they literally bring our doors to life!”

This year, Virtuoso Doors will also be helping its rapidly growing network of customers to give their business a competitive advantage with the launch of a comprehensive new suite of marketing materials. As part of the re-vamp, Virtuoso Doors has unveiled a collection of distinctive and modern brochures. Created to help installers win new business, the brochures have been designed to appeal to the needs of the modern homeowner and champion the unique combination of craftsmanship and precision engineering that Virtuoso puts into creating every one of its doors.

Tony adds: “Our terrific suite of marketing materials will help installers to sell our highly crafted range of doors to the homeowner. These new brochures are the debut for our new name and our fresh new look, which is like nothing else in the industry. The look and feel of our doors are what sets them apart from everything else and these brochures are packed with truly stunning imagery of our collection, so homeowners can really see the Virtuoso difference.

“We’ve extended our presence nationally and are rapidly growing our brand as part of our ambitious 2018 strategy. These brochures are the first phase of our enviable support package and installers can expect us to enhance it with many more exciting resources – including full marketing and showroom support – during the year.”

To order copies of the new brochures or to find out more about Virtuoso Doors, call 0191 410 9333, visit www.virtuoso-doors.co.uk or follow @virtuosodoors on Twitter.

Consumers are looking for something more ‘room-like’ in terms of cosiness, solidity and thermal performance but a light bright space

Ultraframe has been making roofs for over three decades and with numbers of installed roofs edging towards 2 million across the UK, Ultraframe continues to go from strength to strength both in terms of its roof range with its strong ‘roof for every job’ proposition and its highly effective Ultra Installer scheme, which just this year has become the first and only Which? Trusted Traders Approved Service in the glass and glazing industry. There’s no question that being an Ultraframe installer is good for business with 2017 delivering record numbers of quality leads across the network. With the conservatory roof market evolving, Ultraframe has welcomed a ‘significant’ number of new installers in recent months looking for a reliable roof manufacturer that can supply a complete roof range – glass, lanterns, solid and orangeries. In this feature, Alex Hewitt, Ultraframe Marketing Director tells us why retailers are choosing now to take a fresh look at Ultraframe.

“If we look at the consumer demand for conservatories, it’s vastly different to even two years ago. Consumers are now looking for something more ‘room-like’ in terms of cosiness, solidity and thermal performance but they still want a light, bright space. With the growth of aluminium and large spans of bi-fold and sliding doors, homeowners are becoming much more discerning in terms of design too. There’s no question that the traditional conservatory has had a facelift, as homeowners demand the best of both worlds both and our existing network of retail installers have really grasped the potency of this opportunity. As a result, we’re seeing solid growth of enhancement products like cornice, internal pelmet and super-insulated columns, plus our integrated structural goalpost is a real hit too.

“This year we’ve also seen a vast number of retailers switch from other glass roofs to our Classic Roof system, either because they see Classic Roof as a stepping stone to our broader range, or for its reliability. At the FIT Show we talked to a lot of installers that have now become customers, and we learnt a great deal about the way they want to work with a supplier. We recognise that the speed of innovation, unless you’re involved day in, day out can be overwhelming to a new installer – which roof for which job? Does the ordering process change? Are the lead times different? Can I configure enhancement products with every roof; how do I make the best use of the marketing tools? We know that all these questions are front of mind for an installer, so we’ve developed a New Partner programme specifically designed to support new customers through the first few months of being ‘new’.

“From day one of being an Ultraframe customer, the installer is assigned a ‘New Partner’ team member; there are currently five people in that team. Their single focus is to guide the customer through the first few installations until they’re happy with the ordering process, the key contacts in Ultraframe for their future enquiries and so forth. For some customers this level of support might be for the first handful of jobs, for others venturing into solid roofs for the first time, might require this level of support for longer. The key point is that whatever level of support required, we’ve got the New Partner team geared up to make the transition to Ultraframe effortless. Similarly, this ‘greeting’ period allows a new customer to become familiar with all the other added-value benefits of being an Ultraframe installer. For many, the Classic Roof System will be a key component in their new offer. It’s designed to virtually mitigate all call-backs, and to deliver this level of quality there are some unique features, so the New Partner Programme enables us to visit you on site until your fitting teams are confident. This level of confidence should also translate through to your sales team – every roof is designed to meet the individual climate needs of the homeowner’s postcode giving the sales consultant the same level of confidence as the fitter. “2017 has never seen so many new customers to the business. The Which? Trusted Traders affiliation has contributed to this for sure and we’re keen to work with installers that want to adopt our roof systems. That said, there are certain areas in the UK that really do need greater coverage, the lead generation we’re seeing from both our own marketing and Which? Trusted Traders has grown considerably this year, so if you’re interested and want to take a fresh look at us, our New Partner team would be delighted to talk to you.”

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