New Warmroof Brochure Portfolio From Prefix

Prefix Systems have just launched an impressive new collection of brochures for their WARMroof system, which includes a 20-page consumer brochure, 20-page product guide and a new 16-page guide to Building Regulations.

Collectively, the three new brochures represent arguably the most comprehensive range of support information in the solid roof sector, supporting customers fully through the sales, planning and installation process. In addition to the support materials, there’s also the added benefit of a comprehensive customer and technical support programme, across all four Prefix branches, which serve the entire UK mainland.

The most recent addition to the literature range is the comprehensive guide to Building Regulations, which provides clear and concise information about the whole process, highlighting the building control approval route for the LABC and LABSS schemes and their partnership with independent inspectorate jhai Ltd. There’s also a good practice guide for conservatory roof replacements, an area often overlooked throughout the industry, along with details of how to order the WARMroof from Prefix Systems. The guide helps to bust some common industry myths around the building control approval process, to ensure installers are well versed on the potential pitfalls associated with not adhering to the appropriate guidelines and legislation. 

Hannah Gilrane, marketing co-ordinator commented: ‘The newly expanded literature range for WARMroof is unsurpassed in the solid roof sector and is fully supported by our award-wining reputation for customer and technical support. The design, layout and content are easy to absorb and we have expanded upon the required information for customers to quote, sell, install and meet the required regulations.

She continued: ‘In all, it’s a complete blueprint for the sales, installation and approval process for solid roofs.’ 

For further information on Prefix Systems and to request the new WARMroof brochure pack, contact the head office on 01254 871800, or e-mail marketing@prefixsystems.co.uk. For other information visit www.prefixsystems.co.uk, or add to their considerable following on Twitter @prefixsystems.

Customade Group (Customade) has announced the appointment of David Leng as group chief executive. David’s appointment is effective as of 1 February, succeeding John Lightowlers who continues with the firm in a non-executive capacity.

David joins from Synseal Group, where as chief executive he took the company from a £70m manufacturer of window pro les and conservatories, to become a £160m multi-channel, multi-material market-leading business in the window, glass, roof and door sectors. Using a mix of acquisition, disposal, turnaround and organic growth, over the last 16 years David has led the transformation of several complex manufacturing businesses with turnovers ranging from £20m to £300m.

David is tasked to drive the business forward, doubling its scale to build a company with a turnover in excess of £200 million in the medium term.

He commented: “I am delighted to be joining Customade – it is exactly the type of opportunity that motivates me. It is at a really exciting point in its development and is ready to capitalise on its numerous growth opportunities. We have ambitious goals to fulfil and Customade is well structured, with strong investor support, exceptional products, first-rate employees and a well-deserved reputation for superior service. I look forward to leading the next phase of its development.”

www.thecustomadegroup.co.uk

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Bohle has continued its investment programme with the acquisition of high-profile US shower and bath accessories manufacturer, Portals Hardware.

Set up in 2001 and operating from Kansas City, Missouri, the acquisition of Portals Hardware, significantly extends Bohle’s reach in the United States.

Arne Klöfkorn, CEO at Bohle AG said the cultural fit between the two businesses was strong, with a common focus on customer service and product quality.

Arne said: “Bohle and Portals Hardware are two leading and steadily growing companies in the American market and joining forces allows each to offer their customers an even better service”.

Dave Broxton, managing director of the company’s UK operation, said that the deal demonstrated Bohle’s continuing willingness to invest in its overseas markets.

He said: “We have a very strong presence here in the UK but Bohle remains a global business. That’s a key benefit to our customers here at home because it means that we have the resource to invest in growth as well as a continuous programme of product development.

“This puts us but most importantly our customers, at the forefront of innovation in glass processing technologies.”

www.bohle-group.com

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The three latest Atlas Installation of the Month competition winners showed off enviable design talent in a contest where the standard of entries keeps getting better and better. The winners – QKS Home Improvements, Thames Valley Windows and John Knight Glass – are now in with a chance of being named overall winner at the upcoming Atlas Installation of the Year awards.

It was a ‘flat-out’ win for Lincolnshire-based QKS Home Improvements who scooped the Installation of the Month title for, not one, but two incredible Atlas Flat Rooflight installations. In its first winning project, QKS – the overall winner of the Atlas Installation of the Year competition in 2017 – designed an ultra-modern extension for a property in Stamford, which was topped with two different sized Atlas rooflights. The second winning installation by QKS married aluminium, glass and two Flat Rooflights to create an amazing space that’s a far cry from the tired and dated PVC conservatory it replaced.

Nick Clipston, owner at QKS, said: “It’s such a terrific result for us to be a double winner in just one month! Both of these installations are absolutely sensational and make an enormous impact on the properties. The spaces were designed to allow just the right amount of light in and the Atlas Flat Rooflight was the only product that could deliver the modern, clean and uncluttered look that both homeowners wanted – simple, but so effective. We always recommend the Atlas rooflight because we know that it makes a great design statement in settings that wouldn’t necessarily suit a lantern. It’s also a dream for our fitting teams to install and that’s a huge bonus because it not only helps us speed up our installation times but it also means that our customers can look forward to enjoying their new spaces that bit sooner.”

Proving hands-down that the Atlas lantern can deliver impeccable high-end designer style was Thames Valley Windows with a spectacular quadruple Atlas roof lantern installation on a £7 million mansion in Surrey. Thames Valley worked alongside the architect and the developer to design and specify each of the four lanterns to add to the sophisticated character of the new build property. The focal point is an impressive statement Atlas lantern which stands high above the grand hall.

Carly Butler, marketing manager at Thames Valley Windows, said: “This is an amazing installation that demanded the very best products to create a real sense of luxury and grandeur. The Atlas lantern is the only lantern we use because we know that it is the slimmest, the strongest, the warmest and the best looking – features that are essential on a project like this. The finished result is nothing short of magnificent and we are really proud to have won an award for it.”

John Knight Glass showed that the Atlas lantern is equally at home on a period or contemporary property with its winning installation on a 300-year old cottage in Parkgate on the Wirral. The Merseyside-based installer impressed the judges with a stunning yet sympathetic Atlas lantern installation that was all about bringing light into a traditional-styled kitchen extension. The clean, understated looks of the Atlas lantern made it the only roof system that would complement the style and proportions of the new extension.

Greg Knight, general manager at John Knight Glass, said: “The homeowners knew what they wanted to achieve to complement their historic property and the design and choice of materials was very important to them. The key here was to draw as much light into the extension as possible and the Atlas lantern was the perfect choice to achieve this without overwhelming the period architecture of the building. It is a lovely project and the homeowner is, quite rightly, delighted with the end result.”

To see more on the three latest winning installations, visit www.atlasroofsolutions.co.uk/installation.

Every month, an installer will win a £200 Screwfix voucher and a £50 Majestic Wine voucher. There’s also trade industry PR and promotion through the Atlas website, as well as entry into the Atlas Installer of the Year award finals. All entries submitted with completed installation pictures will receive an Atlas thermal mug.

Entries can be submitted via Twitter to @Atlasroofjohn using the hashtag #AtlasShowOff or on email to marketing@atlasroofsolutions.co.uk.

For further information, contact Atlas on 02838 327741 or visit www.atlasroofsolutions.co.uk.

When Original Wooden Windows (OWW) set out to make its frame production quicker and more efficient with new machinery, director Gus Brazier said the name of Mighton Products needed no introduction.

Mighton did not expect OWW to make the choice on reputation alone, but was able to give Gus and the team hands-on experience of its Scribe-It end-scribing machine without leaving the factory, thanks to the Mighton Mobile Demonstration Vehicle.

“The rep gave us a full demo of the end-scribing machine so we were able to see for ourselves exactly what it can do,” he said.

“Installation was simple and didn’t cause any interruptions. Just from using the machine in the first couple of weeks the benefits have been clear to see. It has not only sped up production significantly but also gives exactly the same profile with every cut.”

Scribe-It is said to increase throughput by scribing the ends of timber profiles quickly, efficiently and consistently. It can complete a full cutting cycle in just 15 seconds and is compatible with any profile up to 45mm wide and 35mm deep. Using two cutters, Scribe-It allows for the shaping of the bead to be carried out in two halves, therefore safeguarding against issues such as the beads splitting or spelching at the ends.

www.mightonproducts.com

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The Government must learn from Carillion’s demise and assess its over-reliance on major contractors, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Commenting on yesterday’s announcement that Carillion is to enter compulsory liquidation, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Carillion’s liquidation is terrible news for all those who work for the company and it will have serious knock-on effects for the many smaller firms in its supply chain, some of which will be in serious financial danger as a result of Carillion’s demise.”

Berry concluded: “Carillion’s liquidation raises serious questions for the Government, not least about its over-reliance on major contractors. The Government needs to open up public sector construction contracts to small and micro firms by breaking larger contracts down into smaller lots. That way, it can spread its risk while also reaping the benefits that come from procuring a greater proportion of its work from a broad range of small companies. Construction SMEs train two-thirds of all apprentices and are a sure-fire way of spreading economic growth more evenly throughout the UK.”

www.fmb.org.uk

Warm edge pioneers Edgetech capped off a momentous year of milestones and international exhibition appearances by showcasing at India’s biggest fenestration event.

The fifteenth Zak Doors and Windows Expo came to Mumbai’s MMRDA Exhibition Centre in December, bringing together glazing experts from all around the world to discuss the future of fenestration, and see the latest products taking the sector by storm.

The gathering took place as India’s construction industry gears up for what looks set to be a historic boom, fuelled by extensive state investment. 

Hundreds of thousands of homes are scheduled to be built in the next few years as part of the government’s Housing for All by 2022 initiative, with the Indian economy set to almost double in size in that time.

What’s more, ongoing trends away from traditional wooden windows and towards more modern uPVC and aluminium alternatives present huge opportunities for component suppliers, as Edgetech MD Chris Alderson explains.

“It was fantastic to take part in Zak Doors and Windows. There’s a real sense that Indian fenestration is on the cusp of something huge, and as both government and consumers increasingly turn towards high-performance IGUs, we saw enormous interest in the benefits that Super Spacer can provide.

“It’s often suggested that in developing economies like India and China, companies could skip a whole step in the traditional evolution of manufacturing and jump straight from making window units by hand to full automation. Given the unparalleled efficiency of our Super Spacer automated lines, that’s another factor generating interest in Edgetech and our product range.

“It was great to meet manufacturers and others from all around the world, and we’re confident we were able to lay the foundations of what will become close, long-lasting partnerships in years to come.”

For more information about Edgetech please call 02476 639931 or visit: www.edgetechig.co.uk

Swisspacer has added four new sizes to its range of Georgian bar spacer bars. To meet growing demand for heritage-style windows, the company has developed new 12 x 18mm and 16 x 18mm bars specifically for the UK and Ireland.

The company has also introduced a new 14 x 24mm and 14 x 30mm size for the European market, bringing the full Georgian bar range to 13 sizes.

According to Swisspacer, its Georgian bar is ideal for premium looking flush sashes, and vertical sliders. Available in a range of colours, Swisspacer’s suite of Georgian bars now also feature improved bar crosses with an integrated anti-rattle plug and matching end caps.

John Cooper, Swisspacer’s commercial director (UK and Ireland), said: “Flush sash windows are taking the market by storm. Homeowners love the traditional look and see it as a way of adding character to their properties. But, homeowners also want windows that perform and save money on heating bills. We’ve responded to demand by developing a wider range of Georgian bar sizes. Our latest additions have been introduced specifically for the UK and Irish markets to fit the most popular sized windows. Together with Swisspacer’s top performing warm edge spacer bar, our Georgian bar gives flush sash and vertical sliding windows a seamless finish and outstanding energy efficiency.”

www.swisspacer.com

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