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Ultion continues to return unparalleled product adoption as many of the UK’s leading composite, French, patio and bi-folding door manufacturers look to offer unrivalled security and benefit from the strong sales messages and marketing materials that come with it.

Throughout the UK over 1,000 doors are installed with Ultion every day and this sales trend is growing strongly, with security the key motivator in entrance door sales. The statistics are compelling when it is considered that many homeowners are reliant on a £3 cylinder to stop an intruder, with a reported 1,127 burglaries each day in England and Wales according to the statistics from the ONS and of these 834 were through a door.

Ultion is a Kitemarked 3 Star cylinder that also carries Sold Secure Diamond, a standard set by the Master Locksmith Association, along with Secured by Design. It also offers extreme protection against lock drilling, bumping, picking and snapping even when the key is in the lock, as the video-rich content on the Ultion website at www.ultion-lock.co.uk shows.

With a history steeped in the locksmith sector, Ultion has also become a true flagship lock for locksmiths, a market in which Brisant Secure is one of the most trusted brands, with a reputation for service excellence and product innovation.

Nick Dutton, CEO of Brisant Secure commented: ‘Ultion has become the go to solution for transforming a door into a secure door, with many door manufacturers now offering it as standard, while time served locksmiths offer it as the ultimate upgrade. Research shows that security is the main driver in entrance door sales and we’re continuing to see strong product adoption in 2018.’

For further information on the pioneering Ultion cylinder including their compelling videos, visit www.ultion-lock.co.uk. You can also follow them on Twitter @BrisantSecure and @UltionLock. For further information on Brisant Secure visit www.brisant-secure.com, e-mail sales@brisant-secure.com or call 01924 410200.

Window Widgets have just launched a campaign to encourage fabricators and installers to look at the various everyday superheroes from within their expansive range of solution-led products for PVCu window and door systems, that are all fully tested, and many products are BBA accredited and CE Marked.

For over 12 years, Window Widgets have been solving problems for both fabricators and installers, and the new campaign has been designed to communicate the key benefits of several product developments, including the structural universal coupler range, for inline connections, corners, bays, bows and conservatories. Given that they are not system specific, it means for considerable lower stockholding for companies sourcing more than one PVCu system, with the further benefit of different whites and over 15 foiled finishes.

In addition, a large proportion of the structural universal couplers have achieved BBA certification and there are also a wide range of supporting trims available. Loadbearing calculations and frame deduction information is also readily on hand from the technical team headed up by Mike Hart and on the existing website at www.windowwidgets.co.uk, which is currently being completely re-developed for launch in the coming months.

John Fairhurst, trade sales executive of Window Widgets commented: ‘For over a decade, Window Widgets has been the go to brand for clever product solutions, that have been fully tested and certified. We very much view them as superheroes for our customers and so this campaign seems pertinent in raising the awareness for each range, and also the importance of CE Marking and thorough testing for all such products.

For more information on any Window Widgets product and a free quote, contact internal sales executive, Adrian Clare, or for a free sample box e-mail adrian@windowwidgets.co.uk or call 01452 300912. You can also add to their considerable following on Twitter @Windowwidgets.

Quest is very pleased to announce that we have successfully renewed our ISO 9001:2015 certification.

ISO 9001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system and provides guidance tools for companies and organisations who want to ensure that their products and services consistently meet customer requirements and that quality is consistently improved.

There are over one million companies in 187 countries certified to ISO 9001, all working towards continuous improvement of quality and processes.

Ross Wells, Director at Quest, commented “Having ISO 9001 ensures all our processes are aligned and driving for continuous improvement of quality and customer experience, it also helps us meet necessary statutory and regulatory requirements for safety and increases our productivity and efficiency, which helps us keep customer prices low”.

As part of ISO 9001:2015 Quest uses non-conformity reporting and trend analysis to spot errors in processes and quickly make improvements to improve service. Quest is a trading name of Quicksharp Ltd.

Daniel Wells, Sales Director at Quest, commented “Some customers will only work with companies that have been certified to ISO 9001, so this certification helps us retain this work and offer continuous improvement in service for all our customers”.

questhardware.co.uk

With investment of £5M forecast for 2018, the industry-leading systems supplier looks well placed to help customers face the challenges ahead.

MD Dave Jones tells us how VEKA plans to ‘brighten up’ a relatively flat market with a boost to its lamination offering.

Here at VEKA, we are looking forward to the year ahead and the programme of developments we have planned. While we remain realistic about 2018’s potential challenges, we know that – without investment – a company and its customers would ‘stand still’, and that is not something we are content to do.

In order to continue supporting our customers with the highest levels of service, and to remain at the very forefront of the industry, we are looking to invest around £5M in VEKA Group facilities, plant and technology.

The main focus of investment will be our ever-growing lamination department.

Over the years, VEKA has been celebrated for ‘leading the way’ in areas such as customer support, sustainability, security and energy efficiency. For example; with the industry’s first window rated ‘A’ for efficiency, first window rated ‘A’ for noise reduction, first BSI Kitemark-accredited bi-fold door, first dedicated PVC-U recycling plant and first BFRC-certified WER calculator. However, we have said, for a number of years, that homeowners and specifiers should be able to ‘expect’ the highest levels of quality and efficiency and make their choices based on more discretionary factors, such as style and colour. We’ve discussed this in a number of editorial features over the years, and I know this is a sentiment now echoed around the industry.

In response to demand for heritage-style windows, we developed our coveted Vertical Slider and FlushSash systems and as the demand for coloured frames increased, we unveiled our Variations collection of colours and realistic woodgrains. We have seen huge growth in this area of the business in recent years and, currently, over 33% of VEKA Group sales are foiled product.

We are in the process of buying an adjacent building to VEKA’s HQ which will allow the current 380,000 sq ft site site to expand by a further 40,000 sq ft and will enable us to potentially increase lamination capacity by a further 50%.

As well as the new building, we are investing in a new, flexible lamination line, allowing us to offer the most efficient service on the inevitable small runs and quirkier colour choices. Not only that, but the department will see the addition of another standard lamination line, a new colour changing head and a heat tunnel, alongside all our existing high spec foiling equipment.

The aim with this investment – as always – is to ensure that our customers are best placed to meet the demands of a challenging market. It’s not only about increasing the potential volume of our output, but supporting customers with flexibility and efficient service. We want to offer real, straightforward benefits that will reflect on their own business and the level of service they are able to offer to customers, whether that’s homeowners or commercial specifiers etc.

2018 also sees VEKA Group making plans for further improvements to our specialist maintenance and tooling department. Expanding our in-house maintenance department means that we can respond immediately and capably to any potential problems with our machinery (however unlikely we hope they are!) to ensure there is no disruption to the supply chain.

2018’s planned spend of £5M continues a pattern of investment, including – for example – £400K last year allocated to energy efficiency upgrades for the plant. Improved lighting, heating and high bay racking meant that our warehouse facility achieved a 25% reduction in electricity consumption in 2017.

While we’re busy with our investment plans here in Burnley, our sister company VEKA Recycling has also announced the fantastic news that it will be investing £8M into constructing one of the most advanced PVC-U recycling plants in Europe, right here in the UK!

In the face of a relatively flat market, I am very proud to be part of a Group that will continue to invest – through good years and bad – in order to see our partners succeed. Some of our customers have been with us for more than 30 years, and it’s our job to show them that we will be here for them for the next 30 years, and the 30 after that …

FENSA has revealed some of its aims for 2018 as the company plans to build on its market position as the scheme of choice for installation companies in the domestic glazing sector.

Since the start of 2018, FENSA has set out on its new strategies to continue to deliver high quality services for its members.

In 2017, following a year of innovation, restructure and management changes, 2018 will see FENSA invest in a range of initiatives and programmes to deliver greater customer service and offer more benefits to installers. From internal customer management systems to new technical guidance documents and exclusive member seminars through to better online services, FENSA is shaping up for challenging but progressive times ahead.

Chris Beedel, director of membership commented, “Last year we launched the FENSA card, the Knowledge Hub and the Installation of the Year competition. We also increased brand profile at major industry events such as The FIT Show and the G17 Awards. 2017 was certainly a year of change and productivity but now we are aiming to build on the momentum by delivering more and better services for our members in 2018.”

The company will also be part of a new GGF Group market research programme that will include in depth analysis of the market. The research project aims to help FENSA gain a better understanding of the needs and wants of its strong customer base of over 6000 installers.

The post Aiming high for 2018 appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

From as little as £18,000, fabricators can now look to offer The Residence Collection as an additional PVCu system, albeit this is an integrated suite of three window and door systems.

The three systems within the collection are R2 for squared, contemporary aesthetics, R7 for a flush appearance inside and out and the original and finest Residence 9, which is the unrivalled timber replica, flush sash window. Each system has a dedicated outer frame, there’s common window and door sashes across the collection, two transoms and five glazing beads for double and triple glazing, along with a dedicated Georgian bar.

Sarah Hitchings, sales and marketing director of The Residence Collection commented: “Our new start up package shows that entry costs are low into the premium and super premium sectors, especially when you consider the training programmes we have put together.”

The post The Residence Collection announces new start-up package appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).