Distinction Doors’ Marketing Package And Skin Book Reflects It Status As One Of The Market Leaders

When you take a look at the marketing support that Distinction Doors offers, you quickly realise it offers the same level of market-leading quality and innovation as its doors.

Bethaney Larkman, Distinction’s Marketing Manager, said: “Our unrivalled marketing support package has been designed to give our customers a competitive advantage and help them secure sales.”

One of the most compelling elements of the marketing package is the Skin Book. The Skin Book is a first for the industry and it shows the complete range of 43 colours, including five standard colours, two premium colours, two wood stains and over thirty bespoke colours all on swatches of Distinction’s woodgrain skins so homeowners can choose their door colour with confidence.

As befits a company renowned for its innovation, Distinction was the first company to introduce its Skin Book and their customers report that it aids consumer decision-making and is a superb tool to help in the overall sales process. Bethaney comments: “As market leader, it’s our responsibility to lead the way across the industry and our Skin Book is a perfect example of our ability to innovate in all areas of the business.”

Other highlights include the company’s in-house graphic design service that produces bespoke marketing materials to support their customers’ sales processes. The company’s door-designer application is also a well-valued customer aid and can be personalised for Distinction’s customers and their customers’ websites to promote their composite doors and Distinction Glass offering.

Distinction also offers an online knowledge bank and asset library via the trade log in area of their website that provide customers with electronic versions of documentation and marketing material.  Finally, a useful showroom locator allows retailers to find their nearest Distinction showroom to help drive traffic for their customers.

www.distinctiondoors.co.uk

GM Fundraising has announced that Graeme Bailey, MD of software specialists Business Micros, back to the fundraising team. Graeme is a long-term supporter of GM Fundraising and after supporting the recent Paddle2Pedal challenge, has volunteered to once again be part of the team of industry fundraisers.

Gary Morton, chairman of GM Fundraising commented: “Graeme has been integral to GM Fundraising for many, many years and we are delighted to welcome him back in an official capacity. Graeme is one of the few supporters to have completed all of the six cycling challenges and has helped with many events over the years. His level of experience, expertise and kindness is invaluable when it comes to organising fundraising events, that need to be improved upon each time.

“Alongside the current fundraising team of myself, Alan Sadler of Profix, Susie Sinden of Brouha Marketing, Adrian Barraclough of Quickslide, Andrew Glover of West Yorkshire Windows and Alison Marsh of Hope House, with the addition of Graeme, we will have a fresh injection of energy to take us forward towards our target of £2million by 2020. We have some great events in 2018, like our infamous gala dinner and the second GMF Cup, as well as the launch of our next cycling challenge “From Russia With Hope” which will take place in 2019. There are also plans afoot for the next all female challenge. Watch this space…”

www.gmfundraising.co.uk

The post Bailey’s Back appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Bringing together more than eight decades of technical industry experience, fire door & window partition systems specialists Aluprof and fire glass experts Pyroguard, have completed an ambitious testing programme for a new, cost-efficient, non-insulated, slimline fire-resistant glazing system for the UK and European market.

Following two years of collaboration, the new MB-45EW framing system has been developed and rigorously tested for applications where non-insulated screens and doors are required.  A first for the UK market, the slim system exceeds the current ratings of E30 and EW requirements with additional radiation reduction.  Suitable for internal applications, the framing system also offers a smoke-proof screen arrangement with doors, compliant with EN13502-2.  Pyroguard Integrity Plus glass is the first fire glazing tested and certified for the new system delivering El 15 and EW30 fire performance along with 1B1 impact protection.

Wojciech Brozyna, Managing Director at Aluprof UK, commented:  “As we’ve strived to deliver a solution which is effective, cost-efficient and aesthetically pleasing to suit the needs of specifiers today, we’ve had to overcome several challenges.  The expertise of Pyroguard has been invaluable and by combining our efforts throughout the testing phase we have created a solution which exceeds current safety requirements to deliver advanced protection.”

“Glazing often plays a vital role in modern buildings, but meeting functional safety requirements needn’t come at the expense of aesthetics,” says Vince Crook, Technical Director at Pyroguard.  “By collaborating with Aluprof, we’ve been able to develop a fully-accredited and certified framing solution which utilises the key characteristics of our high-performing products – namely design and 1B1-classified impact protection, in addition to essential EI 15 and EW30 safety requirements.”

Aluprof’s 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 and overseas.  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.

Tradesmith, a trade fabricator of windows, doors and conservatories celebrates 25 years of manufacturing – and has been with VBH from day one.

Mark Hutchinson, managing director of Tradesmith, explained: “It’s been a very successful relationship from the start. VBH has the same ethos as Tradesmith – quality products, reliable service and delivery and close attention to the needs of the customer. As soon as it came out we took on VBH’s own greenteQ range as it’s the perfect fit. It’s now our standard furniture option. Our fabricators find it easy to work with and our customers appreciate the quality.”

Tradesmith is based in Hailsham, near the Sussex coast. Mark added: “Our customers require hardware which performs well in harsh conditions, so we turned to VBH for help. In response to feedback from us, and other customers, VBH has come up with the greenteQ Coastline range – perfect for seaside installations. The stainless-steel material means it’s passed every test thrown at it. Installers love it – the 25-year guarantee means they don’t face hassle from homeowners, and the designs and overall quality are very popular.”

www.tradesmith.co.uk

The post 25 not out appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Scottish window, door and curtain walling designer, manufacturer and installer, CMS Window Systems, has completed a major fenestration contract as part of a project to create a new state-of-the-art primary school in the Scottish Borders that has brought new life to an unused B-listed former high school.

The new £8.6m Duns Primary School and educational campus, designed by Aitken Turnbull Architects and delivered by main contractor GRAHAM Construction, provides a high quality learning environment for over 450 pupils, with the latest facilities and infrastructure required to support children from the ages of three to twelve. It is also home to the Berwickshire Locality Support Centre which assists children with additional needs by providing access to a wider range of staff expertise and integrated services.

The project enabled the school to move from its existing premises in the town, which were largely in a Victorian building that was no longer suited to the needs of modern education. Scottish Borders Council and Hub South East Scotland initiated the project, with part funding from the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), to relocate at the former Berwickshire High School site had been unused since a new purpose-built school was developed in 2009, leaving the B-listed 1950s building vacant.

An extensive refurbishment programme was agreed which involved the complete replacement of the windows, doors and curtain walling throughout the two-storey building. Key to the success of transforming the school building, which has been described as ‘a fine example of a Modernist building’, the project was to preserve as much of the existing school as possible.

CMS Window Systems was appointed by GRAHAM to manufacture and install 223 windows, 14 doors and 125m2 of aluminium curtain walling. All were created using Kawneer systems to deliver superb visual appear thanks to their slim profiles, whilst maintaining excellent thermal and acoustic performance in conjunction with the glazing specification.

The windows, doors and curtain walling features 28.6mm double glazed units which are manufactured using an external 6mm Planiclear Securit COOL-LITE SKN174 II pane, a 16mm black warm edge spacer bar and a 6.8mm Planiclear laminated inner pane – with the cavity being a 90% argon fill. This makes an important contribution to a low overall U-value for the fenestration, with an optimum balance of solar gain and natural light transmission to help provide a comfortable, productive learning environment.

Andy Kerr, Managing Director at CMS Window Systems said: “We’re delighted to have been appointed by GRAHAM to work on the new Duns Primary School project. It is an excellent example of how we can preserve Scotland’s architectural heritage whilst providing the highest quality new facilities to support the government’s goals for improvement in educational achievement. The quality of the school buildings is a major factor in learning outcomes which makes this kind of building project all the more important.”

Find out more about CMS Window Systems at www.cmswindows.com

With four supply partners showcasing the latest innovations in PVC-U, aluminium and glass technologies, Promac Group’s presence, will be among the very largest at this year’s Fensterbau , 21 – 24 March Nuremberg, Germany.

This includes significant innovations in PVC-U welding technologies from Graf and Urban. 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, provide a major pull.

The 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, and will form a key part of the Graf showcase including on stand demonstrations.

Urban is also ‘out in force’ with its own seamless welder the new AKS 9600, expected to form a key part of its stand. It will also preview its new single-head CNC controlled automatic corner cleaner, the SV840 and its range of AKFU Timberweld® millers.

“We’ve been talking about the influence premium finishes and foils have been having on the PVC-U window industry for a little while”, says Lee Marriott, Promac Group. “The Graf SL4FF seamless welder has been incredibly influential. The Graf SLS taps into that same technology to deliver a seamless sill weld, while also cutting total production time by 90%, eliminating knifing, sanding and penning.

“Urban is now also moving into this area and will unveil a new seamless welder alongside its Timberweld® millers, so there’s a huge amount for PVC-U fabricators to look at”, continued Lee.

Innovation in aluminium also plays a big part at this year’s expo. FOM has chosen Fensterbau to unveil its new LMX 65 aluminium machining and cutting line. An evolution of its highly innovative LMT 65 aluminium entry level offer, the LMX 65 introduces the ability to mill both ends of the bar, making it ideal for higher volume commercial work including curtain walling.

FOM will also showcase the Axel 5 five axis machining centre and the revamped Blitz Double Mitre Saw. The Axel 5 handles profile of up to 18m also making it ideal for curtain walling and manufacture of larger scale commercial applications

The glass processing and IGU sector is also represented by Forel, which will profile its new EM Vertical Edger, PBA Profile Bender and DFN Dessicant Filler.

The EM Automatic Veritcal Edging is optimized for processing float and laminated glass, delivering high levels of flexibility. This includes edge arrissing, graded edge grinding and edge polishing with the ability to square glass to final dimensions, it can also be used across IGU, tempering and grinding lines.

The Automatic Spacer Bar Bender applies the same focus on quality and efficiency to the manufacture of spacer bar frames, including new warm-edge technologies. It features advanced new software which automatically recognizes and calibrates hardware to multiple profile types, while smart arm clamping technology guarantees the perfect bend.

www.promac.co.uk