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Picture above: Business Development Director, Andy Miller

One of the UK’s leading fabricators, Conservatory Outlet Ltd has launched a campaign to recruit new retailers to its exclusive network.

In the quest for 100% UK coverage, the Yorkshire based manufacturer is targeting installation companies in various areas throughout the UK in the search for new strategic retail partners.

After extensive research into specific areas and customer base, a short-list of potential retail partners has been drawn up to receive the multi-channel campaign over the coming months – those with local companies strong in sales, potential for growth & looking for more than just a supplier of windows & doors.

Conservatory Outlet boasts a significant growth over the last five years due to its 24 partners leading the way, some partners have growth up to 28%.

Business Development Director, Andy Miller adds “I am extremely proud to take this unique business model to new areas in the search for additional strategic partners. Conservatory Outlet has a proven track record of being able to add value to the companies we work with, our network model, support package and product offering is genuinely different to anything else that has emerged since the company entered the market a decade ago.”

With a unique business model and genuine network, Conservatory Outlet provides a tailored package to help retail partners achieve the best results, including an exclusive trading patch, a bespoke responsive website, pro-active lead generation, investment & support for new showrooms, digital marketing tools and regular benchmarking and best practice workshops. No two partners are in competition, and so ideas, knowledge and materials can be shared amongst members too dominate in their area.

Richard Manser from 5 Star Windows & Conservatories, Conservatory Outlet Network Member said “We’re extremely proud to have just opened our second showroom which has blown our customers away! The team at Conservatory Outlet have been instrumental in their advice, support and funding to get our ambitious project off the ground”.

Andy concludes “We’re looking for new network members that share our values in aiming to provide the most innovative mix of high-quality products, and living spaces whilst adding value, supported with best service possible for customers. “

For more information please visit: www.conservatoryoutlet.co.uk/join-us

Velux is offering its UK customers rewards, redeemable at a range of retailers, each time they buy white-painted roof windows and flat roof lights during September and October.
The exclusive promotion, which includes the world’s first curved glass roof light, is aimed at people working on autumn renovations and extensions projects.

Up to £65 of Velux rewards are available on flat glass and the new curved glass roof lights range. According to Velux, the curved glass top lets rainwater completely drain off, letting daylight shine through without raindrops ‘spoiling the view’. The eight different sizes of flat roof lights provide homeowners with flexibility and variety to match their room size.

Installers can also claim £25 rewards for every white-painted roof window they purchase, perfect says Velux, for homeowners wanting a lighter, brighter living space, as the white finish reflects more light back into a room.

Tesco and John Lewis online are the latest retailers to join the Velux Rewards scheme alongside M&S, Argos, Pizza Express, Thomas Cook, Ticketmaster and Curry’s PC World.

Richard McArthur, marketing manager from Velux said: “Autumn is traditionally a busy time for installers who are taking advantage of the better weather to carry out renovations and home improvement projects on behalf of homeowners.

“The promotion includes the entire Velux range that is available in white-painted, from manual, centre-pivot and top-hung standard roof windows to combination solutions, and remote controlled Velux Integra roof windows. We have also added our newest product, the curved glass rooflight, to complement our existing range of flat glass rooflights. These windows help create lighter, brighter interiors inside the home as well as improve the overall look of flat roof extensions.

“We know that our customers enjoy rewards that allow them to give themselves and their friends and families a treat, so whether you are a frequent installer of Velux products or use them just a few times a year, it really makes sense to join Velux Rewards and start earning points with every purchase.”

Installers have from 1 September – 31 October to buy products and earn rewards that they must claim for by 17 November. Velux rewards are redeemable only by registering to the scheme online at www.velux.co.uk/rewards.

The post Autumn rewards with Velux appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Aiming to make it even easier for their customers to connect with potential prospects, Insight Data has added new, intuitive design features to STEM, their brand-new, integrated email marketing platform for Salestracker.

STEM users can now design and build email campaigns using the platform’s straightforward ‘drag and drop’ feature, easily complying assets, textboxes and calls to action to create powerful email marketing campaigns. Alternatively, users who are confident with coding can create their campaigns in HTML or use one of STEM’s dynamic email templates.

“STEM has been designed to help customers connect with prospects much faster and easier by delivering a powerful email marketing platform within Salestracker to take advantage of our unrivalled industry-specific prospect data,” comments Insight Data General Manager, Jade Greenhow. “Developing and enhancing our design suite is the next step in that commitment and allows users to build their campaigns with ease without any in-depth computing knowledge.”

Launched last year, STEM transforms how leading systems houses, fabricators and component suppliers reach potential customers. Instead of exporting data from Salestracker to use in a third-party email marketing platform, users can design, build, test and send campaigns from within Salestracker and then track any responses, leads or enquiries.

The addition of STEM now means Salestracker completes the hat-trick, combining an online prospect database complete with over 60,000 prospects from across the fenestration and construction industries, a powerful CRM system to manage enquiries and now a fully-integrated, email marketing platform.

Insight Data are the pioneers of real-time data which through an extensive seven-stage verification process provides the most up-to-date, accurate prospect data including key decision makers, suppliers and even credit ratings. Salestracker users can create bespoke data lists for their STEM campaigns from across Insight Data’s five databases including fenestration and glazing, house builders and even architects.

For a demo of Salestracker and STEM, contact Insight Data on 01934 808293or via email at hello@insightdata.co.uk.

Picture above: John Higgs – Project Consultant

As the demand for Aluprof systems continues to increase across the UK, two new Project Consultants have joined the rapidly expanding UK division.

John Higgs joined the team in July and covers London and the Southern region.  Having extensive knowledge of fenestration systems, especially their applications and specification, John brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. “I wanted to join Aluprof as I feel they have a wide range of systems that can cope with any project requirement in the UK, no matter what size or complexity.  I particularly enjoy getting involved at early design stages where bespoke design solutions are required and I get particular job satisfaction sharing experiences through CPD presentations and feedback.”  John’s interest outside of Aluprof include travel, golf and motorcycling.

Andrew Pease also joined the team in July and covers the Northern region.  Andrew’s background is in project design and estimating, so is well placed to offer the company’s principles of Value Management to any project.  “I believe my background in Mechanical Engineering offers me a valuable insight to the challenges of design and specification of fenestration systems.  Having practical and on-site design experience I am able to offer product support, particularly in structural and interface design requirements.”  When not supporting specifiers, Andrew can be found cooking Greek dishes and exploring the great outdoors.

Aluprof’s philosophy encompasses the principles of ‘Value Management’ which looks across the facade supply chain to offer the best value for each bespoke project requirement. This innovative approach enables Aluprof to be highly competitive on any size, complexity or location of any project.

The companys’ 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.  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 and specialist advice is available directly from Aluprof’s UK offices on 0161 941 4005.

Yale is proud to be headline sponsor of National Home Security Month (NHSM) for its fifth year this October. Highlighting the importance of home security, NHSM is driving demand for security products and installation services nationwide.

In the UK, a quarter of homeowners admit to having no home security measures in place* with most turning to security reactively when something goes wrong, rather than preventing the issue beforehand. NHSM is trying to change this attitude, by pushing home security to the forefront of people’s minds at a time when statistics show domestic burglaries increase. This presents a lucrative opportunity to installers and fabricators alike to raise awareness of the subject and engage with customers.

Paul Atkinson, Sales and Commercial Director for Yale, commented: “NHSM has always been a great campaign for us to get involved with as its key objectives are closely aligned with the values and messaging we at Yale promote. It also takes place during October, coinciding with the clocks going back – a pivotal point for security sales and when consumers awareness of home security peaks.

“The new ‘Child’s Play’ theme is ideal for homeowners by showcasing the simplicity of home security. What’s more, the weekly themes provide us with an ideal opportunity to promote our range of products and services from the smart security focus of our Smart Living offering to the traditional hardware that Yale is synonymous for.”

Week two is of particular significance for door and window fabricators and installers, as it looks at securing the entry points of a home and valuables within it. This provides an ideal opportunity to up-sell British Standard locking solutions, such as the Yale Conexis, Platinum 3 and 1 Star cylinder and Platinum 2 Star cylinder pull as well as all the usual high security locking mechanisms for doors and windows, and to also ensure that customers are promoting solutions that meet the most up-to-date standards.

What’s more, a number of homeowners are put off DIY home security solutions due to time constraints and being unfamiliar with new products. This presents an ideal opportunity for fabricators and installers as 40% of consumers agree that they’d prefer to use a professional to install home security solutions as opposed to trying their hand at a DIY job**.

However, opportunities are not limited to week two. More and more trade professionals are investing in smart security devices such as smart door locks and smart home alarms that can be controlled and configured at the touch of a button. As a result, week three of the campaign presents ample opportunity to promote the Smart Living range of products, providing installers with a great opportunity to capitalise on a growing marketplace.

Week four coincides with the clocks going back and onset of the darker evenings. As a result, this week explores how homeowners can protect their properties and secure their gardens and outbuildings. The final week of the campaign has a seasonal focus, centering on Halloween and Bonfire Night – statistically the worst time of year for domestic burglaries and damage. This is an opportunity to promote TS008 compliant letterplate restrictor to prevent key fishing and lock manipulation.

Fabricators, distributors and installers will be offered support to provide consumers with details on how to ensure their door and window security meets required standards and also to promote their services. NHSM supporters will also receive a range of promotional collateral that can be distributed to customers to help raise awareness of the campaign.

For further information about National Home Security Month please visit www.homesecuritymonth.com or contact info@homesecuritymonth.com. For information about Yale DWS, head over to www.yaledws.co.uk.

*The Express

**Yale

Specialist IGU and conservatory roof supplier, Double R Glass & Roofing Systems is pleased to offer at no extra cost, a 20-year warranty on its insulated glass units, providing a strong downstream sales tool for its fabricator and installer customers alike.

Ian Sims, Managing Director of Double R, explains: “A 20-year warranty is a great sales tool for installers selling to the homeowner, because what better assurance of quality than the promise to replace the unit if it fails at any time in the next 20 years? Similarly, for fabricators, the ability to offer this warranty to installer customers is a valuable tool to have in their armoury.

“We are able to offer this 20-year warranty, at no extra cost, through our membership of Edgetech’s Super Spacer Dealership scheme and as long as our customers sign up to the free fabricator or installer Dealership programmes as appropriate, they can benefit from the extended warranty. By signing up to the scheme they also have access to a whole host of additional marketing materials too, but whether they use that or not, they can still enjoy the benefit of the warranty.”

“We want to build long term relationships with our customers and our offering is built around that. That’s why we offer a wide range of quality glass and conservatory roof products, excellent service built on solid relationships and of course this 20-year warranty.“

For more information visit www.glassandroofs.com or call 01933 443658

Glazed roofs for a wide variety of applications are reportedly at the core of sales for Prefix Systems, across their network of fabrication sites which cover the whole of the UK.

The company says it is in a unique position as the only glazed roof supplier with such a geographical reach and localised technical support, for the conservatory and lantern roof sector.

Its 22-year experience has seen considerable change in the specification of the conservatory roof, with more choice than ever before in terms of colour, glass specification and architectural detailing. This also extends to the new contemporary Urbanroom gutter shroud, which has been designed and developed by Prefix Systems exclusively for their customers.

Recent major investment at Prefix Systems has seen the introduction of a state of the art paint line ensure they are well positioned to cope with growing demand for colour roofs. This investment will enable the company to offer its customers any roof in any colour, backed up by superior quality and improved lead times.

The evolution and increase in demand for glazed home extensions has come about in two distinct roof forms; true orangeries such as the iX250 and the glass and tile hybrid, in the form of the impressive Warmroof hybrid.

The iX250 utilises a fully insulated, structural deck, which is supplied in easy to handle ladder sections and is topped off with a glazed lantern roof, including the Prefix Opus hardwood timber offering to the inside face. While the Warmroof hybrid combines our award-winning solid Warmroof, with triple glazed panels integrated into one structure, ensuring maximum natural light with stunning aesthetics both internally and externally.

Chris Cooke, co-director of Prefix Systems said: “Prefix was built on the success of the conservatory roof sector and this remains very much the core of our business 22 years later. There’s considerable scope for new thinking in conservatory and extension design and we’d like to think we’re at the cutting edge of this new view, with an unrivalled product range, combined with our renowned levels of customer service.”

www.prefixsystems.co.uk

The post Glazed roofing still a big market says Prefix appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Business Micros has proved once again that it is the first choice software provider for the composite door sector, with the supply of a completely custom built system for leading composite door manufacturer DOORCO.

DOORCO switched to Business Micros mid way through 2016 because it wanted a provider who could keep pace with its dramatic growth, and ensure that DOORCO continues to deliver the outstanding customer service which has made it such a favourite with fabricators and installers.

The system has taken Business Micros more than 12 months to build because it is a bespoke software solution, designed specifically to enable DOORCO to deliver on its primary objectives which were to guarantee faster deliveries and improved OTIF scores for its distribution and manufacturing customers, without sacrificing product quality or consistency.

The project involved teams at Business Micros’ Newton le Willows sales and installation centre and at its Dumfriesshire programming centre, working closely together to develop a solution which met both the practical and technical requirements of the door manufacturer.

What makes this software set up particularly special is the fact that customers, as well as DOORCO’s processing team, can now log in directly to order and process their own prepped slabs, with the system effectively ‘remembering’ every customer’s individual prepping information and automatically planning that order into production.

It has the potential to save huge amounts of time because so much data is stored or automatically generated from within the software rather than having to be inputted every time.

The software builds the order for DOORCO, plans it into production and then even tracks it around the factory using a series of Scanpoint stations, giving the production team a constant overview of performance.

The first phase of the project has been such a success that Business Micros and DOORCO are already moving on to phase two which is to add despatch planning, further EDI links and customer relationship management (CRM) to the software set up over the coming months.

Jayne Sullivan, DOORCO’s Operations Director, commented: “Because our business is unique in the composite door sector, it made sense for us to work with an experienced, well resourced supplier who could deliver us the custom-made IT solution which we knew we needed. Just as we do with our customers, we’ve worked collaboratively with Business Micros throughout and we’re delighted with what we have delivered together. It is saving customers’ time and giving them greater flexibility, whilst at the same time improving our efficiency. Our OTIF scores are already improving and our product quality and consistency remain second to none.

“With Business Micros we now have the right partner by our side for the next stage in our growth, and an IT set up which we know will keep pace as we continue to expand.”

DOORCO’s growth in 12 months has been dramatic. Hitting 2016’s sales by June this year, sales during the rest of 2017 are forecast to be further boosted by unique new products like LINKS and Monza II. The IT investment is a key part of the company’s multi-million pound strategic investment programme which is designed to help it stay ahead of customer demand, continue to deliver on robust operational targets and ultimately offer a more streamlined customer experience.

www.businessmicros.co.uk

A glass engineering company based in Chessington has achieved landmark growth, after seeing a 30% increase in productivity.

Structura, which has an annual turnover of £15 million, designs and manufactures a range of curtainwall products including roofs and canopies for a range of clients including Guys and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust, Heathrow Airport and The National Archives.

The company says it is looking to cement its position by expanding its client base and increasing its product range, after securing an asset finance facility from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking to upgrade its I.T. system.

The funding facility has also supported the purchase of a computorised double headed saw, which has significantly increased the speed of aluminium cutting in the manufacture process, growing Structura’s output levels by 20%.

Through increasing its efficiency, the company now has the capacity to expand its presence across the education, transport and leisure sectors.

Structura is now working with new translucent wall and roofing material Kalwall, to secure future projects. It currently employs 96 staff and is looking to hire more technicians to support its growth.

Rob Sanders, co-founder and director of Structura, said: “The business is going from strength-to-strength as we gain momentum and branch into new sectors. We needed to free-up capacity in order to continue to win high-profile clients and secure future projects. The funding support from Lloyds allowed us to do this and in turn devote more resources to our growth strategy.

“By working with the latest materials, we can offer our clients choice and stay on top of the latest industry developments. We’ve been with Lloyds Bank for the past 25 years and they’ve provided upfront advice on how best to manage our growth. This support means we can expand our business at the right pace for us.”

Vanessa Spires, relationship manager for manufacturing in the South East, Lloyds Bank, added: “The manufacturing and engineering industry is highly competitive and companies need the best facilities behind them. Structura is experiencing rapid growth in its field and the tailored support package we’ve provided will deliver lasting benefits for the firm.

“We’re committed to helping businesses across Britain prosper which is why we’ve grown our net lending to SMEs by over 31% across the last six years – ensuring more companies can achieve their ambitions.”

The post Glass company smashes forecasts after landmark growth appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).