Checkatrade introduces monthly payment option

Checkatrade has announced a new membership structure that allows new and existing members to pay monthly instalments for the first time.

Now in its 20th year, Checkatrade has over 28,000 members with more than 1.2million visitors to the website each month leading to almost 3.5 million consumer reviews.

Previously, trade membership was only available as a one-off fee or secured via an upfront deposit but from this March, new members will be able to split their membership over 12 equal payments from just £69.99 a month and existing members will be offered the monthly payment option upon renewal.

Gavin Dutton, managing director of Checkatrade, said: “Providing options and flexibility for our members has always been a priority for the business. Joining the HomeServe family has provided the financial backing to make monthly payments a possibility and helped us grow to an average of 1,200 new trade members per month.

“In the 20 years Checkatrade has been in business, we have continuously looked at ways to adapt and ensure our business model moves with the times. We know cashflow is vital for any business and hopefully we can help by giving this flexibility to both new and existing members.”

The post Checkatrade introduces monthly payment option appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

CSI Aluminium has chosen a Tekna TKE 944-7 four axis heavy duty machining centre for its Hull factory, supplied and installed by Emmegi (UK).

CSI Aluminium is a specialist glazing and cladding fabricator which has developed its own bespoke unitised curtain walling system for installing on sites with limited access for installation. This system, which uses large 7m sections of Aluprof profile, has huge advantages for city centre sites because it can be installed from a tower crane.

In order to maximise the commercial benefits of this system, CSI approached Emmegi (UK) for a machine which could achieve the technical and performance levels required with a dedicated machine set-up, but which crucially still represented good value.

The team at Emmegi proposed the Tekna TKE 944 machine as the perfect solution for CSI, because it has the large machining capacity required at the right price point and can link easily to the rest of the Emmegi machines in the factory.

It is a 4 axis machining centre with a mobile gantry and 8kW high torque electro spindle suitable for heavy duty machining of the large sections of aluminium which CSI are using. The spindle moves along the A axis, allowing machining through a full 180° around each section. A clamp unit ensures the correct positioning of the sections every time, and counterblocks can be mounted quickly and accurately.

A 12 piece tool magazine mounted on the gantry gives customers maximum flexibility and reduces tool change times to optimise the productivity and efficiency of the machine.

Steve Bird, Production Manager at CSI, is pleased with the company’s investment in new Tekna 944. He said: “The machine is doing all that Emmegi (UK) promised and is already helping us to deliver on a new £3.5m contract for our unitised curtain walling system in central Manchester.

“As well as the purchasing advice we got from Emmegi (UK), we’re also benefiting from really good after sales service from their technical and installations team and the payback for us looks very positive.”

All of the machines under the Emmegi group banner can work seamlessly together and all are compatible with the LogiKal software which CSI use for their processing and machine links.

The Tekna 944 and a selection of Emmegi saws will be on display on the Emmegi (UK) stand at MACH at the NEC in April (stand H7-350).

www.emmegi.com

Contech Conservatories, a K2 conservatory roof manufacturer has recently made substantial investment in a new Iveco van. This supports logistics at the Stoke on Trent based firm and reflects the continued focus placed on customer support.

With a steady increase in orders the purchase of a more modern delivery vehicle will support the fabricator’s growth potential as orders increase.

The ‘Iveco’ has been the transport companion of choice for Contech since the company was launched, with prompt and reliable deliveries an essential part of customer service for the company.

As a practical workhorse that needs to deliver in and around a number of regions in the Midlands and surrounding areas, offers maximum reliability, providing complete reassurances for customers, in relation to delivery times.

Orders at Contech continue to increase and the reliability of the delivery vehicles, in terms of handling and carrying capacity need to have increased capabilities particularly in relation to loadspace.

Gareth Jones, Director comments “We are focused on adding value and delivering a market leading service. The new vehicle ensures our customers have access to the most efficient and safe supply chains.

The new vehicle includes advanced safety features and will also help us reduce carbon emissions when our drivers are on the road.”

With a broad selection of products in the Contech Conservatories portfolio, the company has a 5 – 10 day average turnaround. The company supplies high quality conservatories, windows, doors, roofing and other products throughout Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire and surrounding areas.

For more information on the product range please visit the website www.contechconservatories.co.uk or call the team who can discuss your project requirements.

A fast-growing Midlands fabricator is aiming to become one of the country’s leading Residence Collection suppliers, after purchasing a further £45k of machinery.

Since 2010, Stedek has made its name manufacturing Epwin’s Swish and Profile 22 systems. Now, the firm has acquired a bank of twelve Jade end millers to accommodate DW3’s much-celebrated timber-alternative Residence Collection, with the aim of tapping into demand at the higher end of the market.

Managing Director Alex Page comments: “At Stedek, we’re obsessed with quality, and we’ve built our business on offering our customers flawless products backed with outstanding service.

“This latest investment is designed to help us bring that same level of quality to the Residence Collection, allowing more installers to benefit from the sort of outstanding service that only Stedek can provide.”

Sales Director Richard Hammond added: “We wanted to offer the whole collection so that we can serve a “whole market”. R7 meets the needs of the replacement window market. R9 has an established timber alternative niche -but R² is quite unique in its ability to either look like aluminium or timber.

“With that outstanding product range and Stedek’s trademark commitment to quality on our side, we’re confident we can become known throughout the industry as purveyors of Residence excellence.”

For more information visit www.stedek.co.uk or call 01922 724724.

Hurst Plastics is helping trade customers make the most of the thriving composite door market with the addition of its new Premium Glass range. Offering 11 stylish new glass designs, Hurst has doubled the number of glazing options available in its popular collection of composite doors.

The new range of triple glazed designs has been introduced to help installers provide an even greater choice for style-conscious homeowners. It includes both traditional and contemporary styles, which have been designed to maximise natural light and provide the ultimate finishing touch to a Hurst composite door.

Mark Atkinson, Hurst Plastics’ Sales Director, says: “We’ve been at the forefront of the composite door sector since the very beginning and we understand the need to continuously introduce new products to stimulate the market and add value to our customers’ businesses. In response to the demands of the market, installers need a greater choice of colours, designs and options to stand out from their competitors. This new range of glass designs – one of the widest available in the industry – means they can now offer an additional 700 different door combinations.

“Homeowners increasingly want to add a stamp of individuality onto their homes and the entrance door is becoming a vibrant expression of a personality. Traditional colours are still popular, but there is a growing trend for bolder, brighter shades and more contemporary door designs that complement the external aesthetics of the house and the interior decoration, whilst also reflecting the homeowners individual style. Modern consumers prize choice and this extends to the glazing, which is important as it enhances the character of the door and maximises natural light in their homes.

“The response so far to this new range has been extremely positive. We will continue to champion the installer and the homeowner by offering the finest selection of door styles, colours, glazing options and accessories to satisfy their sophisticated design-led needs.” Hurst’s range of triple glazed units encapsulates the delicate decorative glazing between two panes of clear glass to protect it and make it easier to clean. The additional glazing also provides greater noise reduction and improved thermal efficiency.

The Premium Glass range has been introduced to Hurst’s online Door Designer. For more information, please contact info@hurst-plastics.co.uk or call Hurst Plastics on 01482 790790.

Corgi Fenestration is marking its first birthday. The first year has culminated with the launch of the CORGI Fenestration Installer Scheme (with self-certification) that has said to have created immense interest in the industry.

The Installer Scheme combines the Corgi Fenestration quality mark with notifications across windows, doors and other fenestration products, including self-certification of replacement windows and doors. Then it adds a ‘TripAdvisor’ type consumer ratings function and recognition of the best qualified workforce. It is for installers that pride themselves on being some of the best in the industry.

It comprises the CORGI Fenestration quality mark, notification & self-certification, CORGI Fenestration RateYourInstallation, the CORGI Fenestration Skills Card, a risked based inspection rate, and a commitment to customer care excellence.

Chris Mayne, Corgi Fenestration CEO, said: “It has been a frantically busy year. Interest has been far greater than we initially predicted – right from our first foray into the market at FIT 2017. It has vindicated our belief that there is strong demand for quality operators in our business to be recognised and be able to publicise their commitment to best practice by the use of the CORGI Fenestration mark.”

The post Corgi Fenestration hits first milestone appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

PVC-U systems house Liniar is set to extend its range with the introduction of a reversible window, which is said to offer a convenient, stylish and safe option for difficult-to-access locations.

Reportedly ideal for high-rise projects, the moving pane rotates through a full 180° cycle, allowing the external glass of a Liniar reversible window to be safely cleaned from the inside of the property. The rotating mechanism keeps the moving pane from intruding into the inside of the room – so no snagging on curtains or blinds.

Designed from scratch by the same team of industry experts that created the rest of the range, Liniar’s brand new reversible window will be perfect for commercial applications – and with flat, chamfered lines, it offers a contemporary finish which is compatible with the full 70mm Liniar suite.

Chris Armes, Liniar’s design and development manager, said: “We’re delighted to add a fully reversible option to our already impressive range.

“Not only will this prove an ideal choice in multi-storey developments, or in locations that are hard to reach in order to keep windows clean, we’ve also developed this for markets outside of England where some building regulations differ.”

The post Reversible window coming soon from Liniar appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Industry-leading PVC-U systems supplier VEKA Group took home the ‘Employer of the Year’ trophy at this year’s Red Rose Awards.

Touted as ‘Lancashire’s premier celebration of business excellence’, the annual Red Rose Awards evening was held at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool with over 1,100 guests attending the black-tie event. Graham Liver of BBC Lancashire Radio played host to 150 finalists from all over the North West. Now in its eighth year, the auspicious evening has been described as ‘the awards for the businesses that keep the county alive – the heroes of the Lancashire economy’.

Over the past 12 months, Burnley-based VEKA Group has completely redeveloped its Employer Brand and VEKA Values to come up with a new ethos of VEKA SPIRIT. The SPIRIT values – Success, Pride, Integrity, Responsible, Improvement, and Team – have become the basis for all employer/employee interaction from recruitment to retirement, and everything in between.

Having selected VEKA Group from a short list of six, the Red Rose Awards judges had this to say of the winners, “In 2017 the development and implementation of the Employer Brand and VEKA Values found a way to put their people at the heart of the business. What they are and what they stand for was well evidenced, as was the fact that the changes the business has adopted are good for the employees, the suppliers and for the business.”

Dave Jones, VEKA Group MD, says, “We are all extremely proud to have been named ‘Employer of the Year’ at the Red Rose Awards, in the same year that we also won ‘Employer of the Year’ at the Burnley Business Awards.

“While VEKA is an international name in the PVC-U industry, we are also very much a local company in Burnley. With over 90% of our almost 400 employees from the town and its surrounding areas, we take our values very seriously when it comes to our workforce and this, in turn has a direct impact on our suppliers and customers.

“VEKA has always been committed to its team, encouraging professional and personal development at every level, organising and encouraging social activities for its staff and heavily supporting local charities and causes that give back to the community our employees live in with their friends and families.

“At VEKA, we conduct regular staff surveys as we know their feedback is key to making VEKA not just the business of choice for our customers but for our employees too. We’re certain that VEKA SPIRIT has had a huge effect on our employees, with department employee turnover cut in half since its introduction.

“Our continued commitment to our employees and the local area was reflected in our Red Rose Awards nominations that also included ‘In-House Training Award’ and ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Award’, but to come home as ‘Employer of the Year’ was the icing on the cake. It shows that all the effort we put in to supporting and nurturing our team is working, and of course we couldn’t have done that without the commitment and hard work from all the staff too.”

www.vekauk.com