THERE’S ROOM FOR EVERYONE
There has been some tit-for-tat knocking going on between the proponents of timber windows and those in support of PVC-U that hasn’t been seen for many years and which many believe was a thing of the past. Perhaps the question we should be asking is ‘Is it doing anyone any good and indeed, is the industry overall going to suffer?’ Or does it all miss the point anyway?
Recent reports (such as that published in Glass & Glazing Products (www.ggpmag.com/news/wood-window-alliance-calls-time-plastic-promises) site the Wood Window Alliance says it is ‘calling out’ companies that are ‘dressing up’ facts in order to sell more plastic windows. The report cites ‘fake facts’ and says ‘we cannot stand by and watch people installing PVC-U lookalikes in the belief that wood is a poor alternative to PVC-U….’ Naturally this has drawn a response from the British Plastics Federation which has challenged the ‘baffling and misguided’ WWA campaign (www.ggpmag.com/news/bpf-challenges-baffling-misguided-wwa-campaign). But where does this leave both camps, and what does the outside world think when looking in? Having said that, what do people on the inside really think?
Mike Derham, Chairman of Mighton Products Ltd, takes a conciliatory view saying “Why I believe it all to be pointless, is that whilst PVC-U windows might be styled to look like timber, they are not competing directly with timber-framed windows. “Valid comparisons cannot be made between the two: PVC-U and timber windows are different products manufactured to appeal to two entirely different market sub-sectors and for which demographics display completely different priorities. Simply, PVC-U windows are designed to appeal at a completely different price point.”
Mike Derham’s company – Mighton Products Ltd – has been supplying hardware for the window industry, predominantly for box sash frames and for those produced in timber but also for companies manufacturing windows using PVC-U, so is ideally placed to see both sides of the debate. He points out: “How I began in the industry and my continuing passion, is in the refurbishment of original and manufacture of new timber-framed box sash windows. I enjoy the craftsmanship that goes into producing such products and the fact that they are produced using craft skills that have been honed over centuries. However, I also understand why PVC-U not only gained a foothold in the market but actually came to dominate.”
He adds: “Timber frames, whether casements or box sashes, are these days inevitably produced using treated softwoods, sustainable hardwoods and modified wood such as Accoya (which has a typical lifespan of up to 50 years), and for which the production processes are (or should be!) more dependent upon the skill of the operatives even in larger factories. By definition such materials and processes put them at a price point that is significantly higher than PVC-U frames. In the case of box sash replacements, they can be five to ten times the cost. Other drivers are regulation, with buildings being listed or defined by heritage status; and of course, there is the issue of emotion: owners of heritage properties inevitably are passionate about maintaining the original fittings and appearance of their properties. Authenticity is an important factor in the choice of genuine timber frames, not just in appearance but also in the use of real timber.”
Whilst Mike Derham is passionate about timber products, he also recognises the importance of the PVC-U impact on the industry, “The rise of PVC-U has been in the ability of the material to mimic timber, even in its painted form. We must remember that PVC-U quickly established itself to dominate the replacement window sector largely due to the dreadful softwood frames that were installed in new homes built in the ‘Sixties and ‘Seventies, many of which were rotting even as the owners took the keys to their new homes.” “Since then of course, the timber industry has successfully rebuilt its status by consistently producing high quality products from a highly skilled community of joiners, which these days will undoubtedly offer durability, weather and security performance that is the equal of windows produced in any other material.
Mike Derham’s ‘voice of reason’ acknowledges the impact and success that both the timber and PVC-U have had on the market place, he adds, “The nature of the products the Timber industry produces and the time, skill and cost involved mean they are never going to be directly competing for the PVC-U industry’s customers. And many retailers sell windows in all of the available materials, in the knowledge that they must be able to offer a full portfolio of products for when their customers call upon them.” “Timber as a material evokes emotion and when it is crafted into windows, doors and other items that fashion a home. And as well as the manufacturers of PVC-U windows have done to mimic the appearance of timber windows most producers of such windows will admit that for many properties only timber is appropriate.”
Whatever the rights and wrongs of recent events, there are distinct markets for windows and doors produced in all framing materials; perhaps Mike Derham’s view on ‘focusing on selling the relative merits and not creating confusion amongst customers’ is perhaps the most sensible suggestion that both sides of the industry have seen so far, and that in fact adds real substance to the thought that ‘there really is room for everyone’.