MASTERFRAME CELEBRATES TOP INDUSTRY AWARD FOR PVC-U PRODUCTS

Long-standing Halo fabricator Masterframe was named ‘Timber Alternative Window Company 2017’ in December’s National Fenestration Awards and the team are delighted that they will be recognised at the official prize-giving.

The accolade demonstrates that, using Halo’s high quality PVC-U profile, Masterframe creates some of the fenestration industry’s most sought-after sashes, in low-maintenance PVC-U.

Based in Essex, Masterframe specialises in PVC-U sash windows and has a reputation for quality and attention to detail. The company’s products are regularly specified to replace traditional timber in buildings that need to retain their historic looks, while improving energy efficiency.

According to the Fenestration Awards’ website “companies eligible for the timber alternative category are those who fabricate or install PVC-u or aluminium window and door products that aim to replicate their timber counterparts.”

Carol Slade, Sales & Operational Director said “We are especially honoured to receive this award because it is won on number of votes received from the industry rather than a panel of judges. We cannot thank those who voted enough for taking the time out of their busy schedules to help us win this award.

“For a while now, we have been marketing our windows as the best low maintenance alternative to timber sash windows. When retail customers call in at our showroom or visit us at a show and view our windows, they are often surprised that they are, in fact, not timber and are always genuinely impressed with their authenticity.

“The high spec, PVC-U systems that we use allow us to combine the traditional aesthetics of a timber window with the many benefits of this modern material. As a Halo customer, we are also able to benefit from VEKA Group’s Variations foil range which means we can specify a wide range of colours and a host of realistic woodgrains that are virtually indistinguishable from real timber. If required, we can even spray frames in a bespoke colour of the customer’s choice.

“This award will make it even easier to for those that purchase or specify our windows to impress their customers who are interested in timber alternative windows.”VEKA Group’s Sales Director Neil Evans said: “We were very pleased to see Masterframe named 2017’s Timber Alternative Window Company. We know for a fact that they were up against some stiff competition, so the hard work of the team has certainly paid off! With such a commitment to quality and a strong partnership with Halo, we’ll look forward to seeing what else Masterframe might achieve this year.”

Read more about Masterframe sash windows at www.masterframe.co.uk

According to Schueco UK, innovations and improvements being introduced for the 2018 competition mean that there are now even more reasons for entering the Schueco Excellence Awards for Design and Innovation. Inaugurated in 2013, these annual awards aim to celebrate the very best in building design and construction in the UK and Ireland.

The 2018 Schueco Excellence Awards Gala Luncheon will take place on 21 June at the Saatchi Gallery, off the King’s Road in London. Every company that submits an entry will be invited to attend, free of charge.

Confirmed names for the 2018 panel of judges currently include Chairman, Ken Shuttleworth, Make architects; Denise Bennetts of Bennetts Associates; Carl Turner, Carl Turner Architects and Jason Flanagan of Flanagan Lawrence. Specialist cladding consultants are yet to be named.

The categories for the 2018 Excellence Awards are: commercial, cultural, education, health, individual house, individual house improvement, refurbishment, residential development, steel project and specialist contractor. There will also be a Schueco Special Merit Award for Overall Excellence.

The only stipulations for an eligible entry are that a project submitted should be completed or handed over before the end of March 2018 and should utilise at least one Schueco system and involve a UK- or Irish-based Schueco Partner fabricator.

www.schueco.co.uk

The post Vying for Excellence appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

With big changes happening at the organisation, can you afford not to be IN?

Independent Network powered by VEKA, the nation’s premier installer network, is inviting companies to join the organisation at a time when they can take advantage of record levels of investment and benefit from an innovative new consumer strategy.

A promotional programme being delivered across the country is currently highlighting the opportunity for companies to join, by sharing the ‘Top Ten’ advantages of membership this year, including a huge re-brand from Network VEKA to independent Network.

VEKA Group Marketing Director Dawn Stockell explains: “Since 1996, VEKA Group has offered the industry’s finest installer support package. In 2017, we made substantial investment in consumer research to ensure that our installer network was being recognised and understood by the largest number of homeowners and that our members were getting the most out of the offering. We delved into exactly what consumers consider when investing in home improvements, and how their buying decisions are influenced. Based on in-depth analysis of the results, Network VEKA evolved into Independent Network.

“VEKA Group is increasing its marketing budget three-fold in this sector and with the greater spend on trade and consumer advertising and PR, this is a fantastic time for companies to join Independent Network and take advantage of the nationwide publicity for their business.

“I think it’s fair to say there’s never been a better time to get involved. The huge number of benefits that members already enjoy are very much still available, combined with the surge in publicity of the brand, which will reflect on your business by association.

“The ‘nature’ of the Network is that local, independent firms can benefit from being part of a bigger group, with shared marketing, impressive buying power and a reputation for quality workmanship that is recognised across the country. Something that few companies would be able to achieve alone.

“The plan with our current recruitment campaign is not only to increase the number of members (we only accept the very best), but to create a more evenly distributed spread across the country. This will benefit homeowners and installers in areas not currently covered by IN.”

IN member companies are recognised as some of the most professional window installers in the industry. The organisation’s logo acts as a ‘stamp of approval’ demonstrating to customers (at a glance) that these companies have met the stringent requirements demanded in the approval process.

Some of the many other benefits listed in the current recruitment brochure include: a sales generation programme that generated 17,000 new leads in 2017, subsidised marketing material via the new portal, consumer finance options, free legal advice, free training and much, much more.

If you haven’t received information about taking your business to the next level with IN, you can find out more at www.inveka.co.uk/join or call 0808 1471 995.

A new industry-wide business conference will be held in May, aimed at tackling the big issues facing the glass and glazing industry.

The Glazing Summit will take place near Birmingham on 22 May, with hundreds of industry leaders expected to attend. Keynote speakers will debate the changing landscape of the industry, the impact of new products and technologies, the implications of Brexit and why some of the established ‘big players’ could disappear.

The future of the industry will also be discussed in light of the recent Insight Data Window Industry Report and the latest round of mergers and acquisitions.

Andrew Scott, said to be one of the industry’s marketing experts, will discuss new, cutting-edge marketing strategies that will help companies gain market share and strengthen their brand and reputation. He will also explain how Purplex generates over 15,000 qualified sales leads per month for their customers.

The Glazing Summit is aimed at fabricators, installers, glass companies and material suppliers and the event will include lunch and networking.

The post Market on the agenda appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Following the collapse of Carillion last week, Phil Pluck, Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) group chief executive raised 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 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.

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.”

The post GGF raises concerns after Carillion collapse appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Picture above: James Lee, GGF Director of Group Marketing

The Glass and Glazing Federation is delighted to announce that Regalead and Jackloc have signed up to join the UK Pavilion at Fensterbau Frontale 2018.

Both are high quality companies and are welcome additions to the UK Pavilion.

Regalead been supplying bevels throughout the world for 20 years and continue to refine and expand our range each year to provide customers with the optimum product selection and the highest quality, The company is currently Europe’s market leaders in the design and development of bevels for glass overlay.

Guy Hubble – Joint Managing Director, RegaLead commented, “We’re proud to be part of the UK Pavilion at Fensterbau Frontale 2018. Europe is an important market for RegaLead and we’ve exhibited at Fensterbau before, but it’ll be a pleasure to join the best of the UK window industry in the Pavilion as we showcase our cutting edge ColorSpray Aqua glass and PVC-U paint technology. We’re looking forward to being part of it.”

Jackloc are the Queen’s Award-winning original cable restrictor specialists. Their full range of universal window and door restrictors safeguard thousands of lives every day worldwide, by dramatically reducing the risk of falls from windows. Jacklocs can be found across the world in both residential and commercial applications including hotels, hospitals and in education.

Emma Wells, Jackloc Company Director commented, “We are delighted to be bringing our range of British-made restrictors to Fensterbau as part of the UK Pavilion. As we celebrate 15 years of improving safety, the UK Pavilion provides a great opportunity to grow our brand in more international markets and reach out to new customers and distributors. We will be showcasing the complete Jackloc range which has set the benchmark for window safety worldwide, and carries a fifteen year irrefutable track record of absolutely no fatalities – a claim no other cable-based window restrictor can make.”

James Lee, GGF Director of Group Marketing added.

“As hosts of the UK Pavilion the GGF is delighted to welcome both Regalead and Jackloc on board. Both companies have great products and reputations in the industry. They will certainly add even more quality to the excellent range of products on show on the UK Pavilion at Fensterbau.”

Fensterbau Frontale 2018 takes place in Nuremberg on 21-24 March and reflects the worldwide innovations in windows, doors and facades. Architects, carpenters, window and facade manufacturers, and the specialist trade will update on the latest profile systems, glass in architecture, fixing equipment, hardware, safety equipment, machines, installations and many more products.

In 2016, the GGF set up and organised the UK Pavilion within the Fensterbau Frontale exhibition. For 2018, the GGF has more than doubled the size of the Pavilion with 200m² reserved to provide a designated area for 12 British companies to co-exhibit and reach a huge international market in excess of 110,000 trade visitors.

If you intend the visit Fensterbau Frontale in March, the UK Pavilion is in Hall 4A stand number 405. Feel free to visit the UK Pavilion to meet the 12 UK companies exhibiting on this exclusive space at the window industry’s largest show.

To find out more about Fensterbau Frontale please visit www.frontale.de/en

Swisspacer Symposium reveals that smart solutions are the future for window and façade industry. Windows Active takes a closer look

Digitalisation and the ‘Internet of Things’ is rapidly gaining in importance, becoming the touchstone for the future viability of many companies in the window and façade building industry. What radical changes are already happening? That was the subject for several experts’ discussions at Swisspacer’s fenestra-vision: smart windows, façades and innovative materials. With the Symposium in its third year, Swisspacer invited leading industry experts to Salzburg including window and façades builders, window systems companies, planners and scientists to discuss the looming changes to the industry. All agreed that digitalisation is inevitable. Keynote speaker Dr. Eckhard Keill, Chairman of the Board of Roto Frank AG, discussed the technology behind the latest smart homes, and the potential obstacles and risks. According to a recent study by Gartner, the demand for smart homes and the public perception and understanding of them is approaching its peak – yet the market will not be ready for new developments for another five years.

Particular emphasis was placed on the abilities of the individuals involved along the ‘value chain’, all the way down to the window installer. Experts at the Symposium were all in agreement that new, attractive professions will be created in this new era, such as System Integrators. Andreas Bittis, Product Manager at Saint-Gobain Building Glass, outlined an exciting scenario in terms of intelligent products and processes during his presentation. The focus is not only on smart solutions, such as switchable glass, but primarily on communication between components, disciplines and users, as well as the availability of more information resulting from this. An intelligent RFID chip, for example, makes seamless documentation of the process possible – from the production of a window, to user behaviour, maintenance cycles, all the way to disposal. Based on this information, Andreas is convinced that new business models can be created. “The window industry will not be able to enjoy the stability of recent years for much longer,” warned Jochen Wilms, founder of W Ventures. He highlighted just how quickly a market can turn: within five years, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and more have replaced industry heavyweights like Shell or Texaco as the most valuable companies in the world. The window and façades industry will take on special responsibility here as it could control buildings via the building envelope. Jochen encouraged the construction industry to form a ‘Star Alliance’ to adequately address the pending upheavals.

Maarten Verhezen, Manager at Nest, the smart thermostat, highlighted the shift in perspective his company has experienced. The brand, which belongs to the Google parent company, alphabet, has taken a user-centric point of view as the focus of its business model. People should feel at home – with home automation products that simply work and are visually attractive. Some 1,000 engineers work on smart home solutions at Nest, across sectors such as energy, online or retail. He claimed “Nest wants to create a construction industry network.” Schüco, an aluminium window systems manufacturer, has already made one giant leap towards digitalisation by launching Schüco Digital as an independent business unit that bundles all these activities. Prof. Winfrid Heusler, Senior Vice President Global Building Excellence at Schüco stressed the following in his presentation: “Components across various sectors are needed to successfully tackle interdisciplinary challenges. Combining the real and virtual world will have a disruptive impact on the construction industry.”

The benefits of a ‘digital twin’ were highlighted by Prof. Klaus Sedlbauer, Head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics. ‘Digital twins’ can be used as a basis for planning, to simulate aspects of use and coordinate technical construction solutions that can mimic the reaction of external conditions. Prof. Klaus Peter Sedlbauer introduced the topic of smart building materials. Building envelopes of the future will manage functions like a human body, and it will be the façade that controls the building. Intelligent components, such as textile façades, will also make a contribution here.

The final panel of experts, moderated by Prof. Sieberath, Head of the ift Rosenheim Institute, discussed possible developments in relation to PVC-U as a profile material. There was a strong consensus that this is one material that will not be replaced even in the coming decades. Arno Bender, Head of System Support at Aluplast, comments: “The benefits of recyclability are great – ultimately, all PVC-U frames removed can be recycled in full.” The experts also came together to cast a first glance towards the Fensterbau Frontale trade show, where there are new developments in adhesive technology and new BIM solutions from Aluplast, as well as 76 and 88mm systems from Profine that provide a better solution with components.

The post Smart windows, façades and innovative materials appeared first on Windows Active Magazine.

North East installation company, Pennine Home Improvements prepares to open its newest showroom in the heart of Durham.

Its latest retail space, which will be situated in Dragonville Retail Park, is set to be Pennine’s largest showroom to date, and will feature seven stylish conservatories and orangeries, a window and door gallery, as well as a state-of-the-art virtual reality design station.

Pennine Home Improvements has been operating for over 40 years and now makes up one third of the newly-formed Conservatory Outlet Group.

Mark Tinnion, Managing Director at Pennine Home Improvements, said: “It is a really exciting time for the Company as we prepare for the next stage of our expansion plan as part of the Conservatory Outlet Group.

“The new Durham showroom comes as the result of numerous additions and advances within our product range, along with developments in cutting edge technology that calls for the addition of a virtual reality station. This will allow our customers to experience their desired living spaces, as part of our innovative and advanced design process, before building work even begins.

“With Conservatory Outlet Group’s expertise, we’re certain this showroom will be one of the best in the country. “

The Durham site is Pennine’s fifth showroom in the North East. The company will open the new showroom on 22 January with a major launch event to follow on Saturday 10 February from 4pm to 8pm.

Greg Kane, CEO of Conservatory Outlet Group said: “The Durham showroom not only features the latest technology in the industry allowing homeowners to step inside their personalised installation before it is built, but also brings together research from outside the home improvement industry in terms of enhanced buyer experience, and customer service in order to ensure maximum conversion rates.

“This new showroom takes Pennine, and the Conservatory Outlet Group to the next level, setting the way for the rest of the CO Network and the home improvement industry.”

For more information about the new showroom please visit: www.penninehome.co.uk/showrooms/durham-showroom