Excell Trade Frames Installs Windows At Multi-Million Free School Development

REHAU’s TOTAL70 window profiles, installed by Manchester’s Excell Trade Frames, have been chosen for a brand new free school in Manchester, which will provide education for up to 100 young people in the area with special learning needs.

The Pioneer House High School has been built on the site of the former Piper Hill High School in Wythenshawe. The whole site has been reorganised through demolitions, refurbishment and new construction as part of a £3.6m scheme. The new single storey school building delivers a vibrant and safe learning environment for students aged 11-19 and features an interesting mix of materials from contemporary aluminium to traditional timber. 

Manchester-based fabrication and installation company Excell Trade Frames won the contract to manufacture, supply and fit the PVC-U windows required for the Pioneer House project. Excell has an exceptional reputation in the North West for making and installing high quality REHAU windows and doors to the highest specification at its factory in Worsley. 

Eddie McGrath, commercial manager at Excell said: “The design for Pioneer House High School required approximately 110 PVC-U casement windows and full height screens, to provide the building with lots of ventilation and natural light. Windows made with REHAU’s TOTAL70 profile were perfect for the job as they would provide a flexible, long lasting, low maintenance solution to the variety of new and refurbishment glazing required by the brief.” 

TOTAL70 is one of REHAU’s most popular systems, offering a solution for both commercial and domestic projects. Suitable for new builds or refurbishment installations, the 70mm profile is available in chamfered and sculptured options, and the windows have single leg beads to provide easy but secure on-site glazing. 

Eddie continued: “To win the contract for the school and make our offer stand out, we developed the design brief further by recommending a Smooth Anthracite Grey laminate finish for the PVC-U windows, to seamlessly match the smooth finish of the aluminium doors already specified.” 

To simply customise the look of the TOTAL70 profiles, laminates – such as the increasingly popular grey tones which mimic the modern finish of aluminium – are a particularly cost-effective, no hassle solution. All REHAU high performance foil finishes are durable, scratch resistant and can be easily cleaned so they look newer for longer. The laminate is also resistant to UV light, heat and the weather so the colour won’t deteriorate or fade over time, says the company. 

With the Excell factory located just 7 miles from the Pioneer House school site – and coupled with a flexible approach and quick delivery times – Excell Trade Frames was a good fit for the Pioneer House project.

Eddie concluded: “As we were based so close to the site, we worked closely with the contractors Eric Wright Construction on a reactive basis – as soon as they needed us in to fit the next wave of windows, we’d have them ready to go and a team on site to install them within a matter of days. This helped to keep the project ticking over, which was particularly important as the school needed to be ready by September to receive the first intake of students. 

“Our commitment to working to the individual needs of our clients – coupled with delivering high quality products – is what has earned us a first class reputation in the area and beyond.”

Matt Janicki, Area Sales Manager from REHAU said: “After 10 years making and fitting REHAU products, Excell is very familiar with the product range at their fingertips and they have clearly used that knowledge to challenge and develop the brief for the Pioneer House High School project to add value to the specification and create a seamless finish between the PVC-U windows and the aluminium doors.”

For further information please visit www.rehau.uk/windows

The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has been shortlisted for the RIBA West Midlands Awards, with winners announced on Tuesday 22nd May.

The annual awards ceremony focusses on the outstanding work of architects across the West Midlands.

Bennett Architectural worked alongside main contractor Galliford Try to create the state of the art building with one of the highest levels of acoustic attenuation in the world.

The building envelope used Kawneer AA100 curtain walling and AA720 window systems that provided thermal enhancement and the acoustic performance required. Acoustic baffles were also engineered within secondary glazing reveals helped to reduce sound transmission further.

The purpose built £57m project opened its doors to students from Birmingham City University in September 2017.

Lionel Grant, Managing Director at Bennett Architectural commented,

“The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire was the epitome of the sort of project our team relishes given the challenges with the acoustics.

“Because of the location in a busy area of the city centre, it was vital we got the acoustics right for the windows and curtain walling systems our team designed, fabricated and installed.”

RIBA West Midlands Chair, Aaron Chetwynd added,

“At a time of significant construction activity within the region, I am really delighted that this RIBA Regional Awards shortlist showcases the excellent breadth of architects’ work in the West Midlands.

“Many congratulations to all practices making the shortlist and we look forward to seeing you at the Awards Evening in May.”

The RIBA West Midlands Awards take place on Tuesday 22nd May at Tom’s Kitchen, The Mailbox in Birmingham.

With aluminium windows and doors growing popularity, Titon is experiencing significant demand for hardware in this sector. The company has a huge range of products designed specifically for aluminium, many of which originate from Sobinco. Titon has been the exclusive UK distributor for Sobinco for nearly 40 years, supplying hardware such as tilt and turn window systems, pivots, catches and handles, as well as locks, lift-slide systems, roller assemblies and handles for doors.

Commenting on the relationship with Sobinco, Julian Wiseman, Sales Director (Aluminium) at Titon, said: “Our relationship with Sobinco has strengthened significantly over the years. From humble beginnings with just a small group of products, we now have an enormous portfolio available.

“As a result, there is aluminium hardware available for a variety of applications, from commercial premises to exclusive residential developments. The resurgence in the construction sector has certainly seen orders increase, while the growing popularity of top end products, such as bi-fold doors in domestic properties, has also led to an upsurge in demand.”

He continued: “The products from Sobinco are extremely flexibile and can be produced in more than 450 colours to make a project truly unique; alternatively, there is the ever-popular anthracite grey to complement the latest ‘designer’ bi-fold doors. We are also able to turn orders around quickly, as Sobinco is extremely self-sufficient, with everything from R&D and castings, to pressings and painting, all taking place in-house.

“Also, given the resurgence in aluminium windows and doors throughout the commercial and domestic markets alike, customers are looking for high quality, aesthetically pleasing, technically sound hardware products – and the Sobinco range certainly fits the bill.”

Titon has seen a year-on-year increase in sales of aluminium hardware which, in addition to the Sobinco range, also includes the company’s own handles, espags, hinges and trickle ventilators, as well as options from other manufacturers. Additionally, Titon also provides its customers with full technical advice and support, to ensure all products perform reliably and effectively.

For more information about Titon and its comprehensive range of window & door hardware, as well as whole house ventilation products, please visit:  www.titon.co.uk. For more details about Sobinco, visit: www.sobinco.com/en 

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Specifiers have chosen SWISSPACER for Principal Tower in London. This prestigious development is a 50-storey residential tower in Shoreditch, Hackney, close to London’s financial hub.

Designed by architects Foster and Partners, Principal Tower will contain 301 residential apartments when completed in early 2019. At 162 metres tall and equalling 35,400m², it will be one of the tallest residential buildings in London. Principal Tower complies with the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4, and SWISSPACER ULTIMATE was used in the highly energy efficient façade.

SWISSPACER is ideal for sealed units of all sizes because it is tried and tested to give outstanding thermal performance and long-lasting results. It’s a popular choice for oversized sealed units because of its rigid structure, precise edges and clean, crisp parallel lines. SWISSPACER has been used in a number of iconic skyscrapers including New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), 30 St. Mary Axe (The Gherkin) in London, The Prada Building in Tokyo, Madrid’s Torre de Cristal and The Turning Torso in Sweden.

Learn more about SWISSPACER by calling 01908 335190, visit www.swisspacer.com or follow @SWISSPACER.

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Image Above: Neil Antrobus, Business Development Manager

With over 15 years industry experience, including most recently as Technical Sales Manager for Sternfester, Neil Antrobus joins GJB Window Systems as Business Development Manager. GJB was purchased by Roy Frost last summer and is part of GJB Holdings with an annual turnover of 22 million.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the sales team at GJB at a really exciting time for the business,” Neil explains. “I’m very much looking forward to hitting the road, using my skills to build partnerships with installers across the country and highlight the benefits GJB and the wider group can offer to their businesses.” 

“We’re delighted to welcome Neil to the GJB team,” adds Roy Frost, Managing Director of GJB Window Systems. “His skill-set and knowledge will prove incredibly valuable as we start the next phase of our growth strategy. GJB is one of the UK’s largest Eurocell fabricators, and with the acquisition of Listers Central in the GJB Holdings Group, we have the logistical and manufacturing capabilities to support businesses not just in the South-East but across the UK, with brand-new product lines and an even greater service.” 

“It will be Neil’s job to convey this proposition to installation firms across the UK, and with his personality and expertise, I firmly believe he is more than capable of helping us achieve our ambitious growth plans.” 

Since the acquisition of Listers in the summer, GJB has added the prestigious Residence Collection, high-end aluminium bifolds and sliding doors as well as composite doors to their product range. Quality improvements also include A+ rated windows as standard.

For more information contact Neil Antrobus on 07970 806065, Roy Frost on 07808 365234, or visit www.gjb.co.uk.

With a number of supply partners showcasing the latest innovations in PVC-U, aluminium and glass technologies, Promac Group has said it saw high levels of interest and brisk business at this year’s Fensterbau Frontal.

The latest incarnations of the SL4-FF seamless welder from Graf Synergy, including the SL4FF EVO and the SL4-H FF, which introduces a new capability to insert welded transom and mullions into a seamlessly welded frame or sash, provided a major pull for UK fabricators.

This same technology has also been applied by the FOM-GS group to sill manufacture. The SLS Seamless Sill Welder delivers an exceptional finish, while reducing total cycle time to less than 2 minutes per weld.

FOM-GS also chose Fensterbau to unveil the new FOM LMX 65 aluminium machining and cutting line. The LMX 65 introduces the ability to mill both ends of the bar, making it ideal for higher volume commercial work including curtain walling.

The new EM Automatic Vertical Edger from Forel marked another new product launch from the Promac supply chain. Optimized for processing float and laminated glass, it delivers high levels of flexibility.

The post Reporting brisk business appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Mila has received a 100% score in its most recent ISO9001 BSI audit.

The score means Mila can transition immediately from the 2008 version of the ISO9001 standard to the revised 2015 version.

Mila’s quality manager Alan Peel was understandably delighted with the outcome. He said: “To be recommended for transition, a business has to achieve a score of 80% on the six-monthly audit with no more than 5 minor non-conformances. Our processes are such that I was confident that we would achieve that, but 100% with no non-conformances exceeded even my high expectations.”

He added: “Quality management is always a team effort of course and a score of 100% can only be achieved when quality is truly ingrained within a business’ culture. Here at Mila, every department from sales to supply chain plays their part and the audit recognised that with no areas identified requiring improvement.”

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Deceuninck’s sales are twelve percent up on this time last year. The first quarter of 2018 is said to be ahead of budget and further strong growth is expected.

The strong sales performance is said to be down to Deceuninck’s lead on colour, as well as the sharply increasing popularity of its award-winning Heritage Flush Sash.

Rob McGlennon, managing director Deceuninck UK and Ireland said: “Our sales are strong because our fabricators’ sales are strong, and colour is a profitable and fast-growing sector of the market.

“We’ve invested heavily in becoming colour-enabled, and now have a world-class foiling team and plant, and a 140,000ft2 warehouse that stocks 26 colourways in big volumes. So Deceuninck fabricators get what they ordered on time and in full, avoiding the delays and disappointments that hold other fabricators back. Colour is 52% of our sales, and we expect it to hit 60% by the end of the year.”

The sustained popularity of Deceuninck’s Heritage Window Collection, including Chamfered 2500 and Sculptured 2800, is also said to have contributed to the growth.

The post Lift off in 2018 appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Sealed unit and integral blinds manufacturer Morley Glass & Glazing has extended its apprenticeship programme with the help of North Lancs Training Group.

The company’s first apprentice Kieran Buchan completed his NVQ Level 2 in Glass Processing last year and has now progressed to the higher Level 3.
Now, two other members of the Morley team have now embarked on NVQs in Business Administration. Last month, Nathan Hall and Kevin Murphy started Level 2 and Level 4 of the NVQ respectively and will study topics such as team supervision and project management as well as providing opportunities for research, analysis and original thought.

Ian Short, managing director at Morley Glass & Glazing which employs more than 70 people said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for the team to gain new skills, qualifications and a greater understanding of the business. I’m sure the business will benefit from the new ideas, as well as from a more motivated and inspired team. Hats off to Kieran, Kevin and Nathan who are committed to investing in their personal development and the future growth of the business.”

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