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‘Switch without a Hitch’ is the promise being made by Rehau trade fabricator, Euroglaze, as it guarantees to make the process of changing supplier simple and profitable for third party stockists and installers.

According to Euroglaze, it has built its 30-year reputation on Japanese style lean manufacturing efficiencies which enable it to offer three-day lead times on all standard products ordered on-line, as well as its ‘warm and friendly’ customer service.

The company says it is now combining these two strengths into its ‘Switch Without a Hitch’ service so that customers can start buying quality windows and doors without any worries about hassle or disruption.

The company’s managing director, Martin Nettleton, explained: “Often, the only thing holding a customer back from switching supplier is the idea that it will be more trouble than it’s worth. We’ve addressed that concern head on and made sure that customers know they can make the switch to Euroglaze without any trouble at all.”

Euroglaze says that the new five-stage service starts with a call to discuss a customer’s needs in order for it to put together a package of products and services which suits them best. Then, each new customer is assigned a dedicated member of a customer service team who acts as a personal contact, and who walks customers through their early orders, from order to delivery.

Once a first order has been placed, Euroglaze says that customers will also get a call from its ‘friendly and efficient’ despatch team who discuss delivery requirements and introduce them to their driver. After each of the early deliveries, the customer service contact will be in touch again to ensure the service is living up to expectations.

Martin said: “This is an easy and pain-free process. We are by the customer’s side every step of the way and our team makes sure that every customer feels valued and looked after. We may be focused on quality and efficiency, but we never forget that our customers are people and not numbers and we work hard to make them feel part of the Euroglaze family.”

Euroglaze’s Switch Without a Hitch initiative reportedly comes at a time when it is attracting a record number of new customers. These are said to be largely distributors and installers who have become weary of poor service and poor communication from larger fabricators and who want the benefits of dealing with a smaller company which can still offer quality products and competitive prices.

Martin concluded: “We pride ourselves on making it better for customers. We can match bigger fabricators on range, quality and price but we can outdo them on service and Switch Without a Hitch is a perfect example of that.”

The post Switch without a hitch appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

The initial findings of the Hackitt Review offer a positive step forward to address a multitude of failings within the construction industry and among its regulators, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “We welcome the interim findings of the Hackitt Review which make clear that there is much for the construction industry and its regulators to address post-Grenfell. The FMB submitted a detailed response to the Review and many of our points have been reflected in its initial findings. In particular, we welcome the acknowledgement that although some safety-critical tradespeople, for example gas engineers, must be registered for different types of work, others do not have such requirements. We are also pleased that the Review has recognised that current Building Regulations and guidance are too complex and unclear. We look forward to working with the Government and our industry colleagues to address the areas of failure so such an incident is never allowed to happen again.” Berry concluded: “I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dame Judith Hackitt and the wider review team for the swiftness with which this probing and insightful interim report has been delivered. It’s too often the case that such consultations and inquiries drag on when swift action is required. Here the Hackitt Review has managed to get the balance right by consulting with a broad range of people and organisations but then taking speedy action to reflect and report back. We hope the Review team maintains this momentum so we can achieve a safer built environment, and one that always adheres to the highest of standards, as soon as possible.” www.fmb.org.uk 

Epwin Window Systems has won the Sustainable Business Award from Business Environmental Support Scheme Telford (BESST) 2017, for Carbon and Energy Management.

Paul Nelms, Epwin’s group environmental manager, said: “We are delighted to have won this award. As a business, we are committed to ongoing energy reduction throughout our Telford extrusion plant and to collect a sustainable business award proves this commitment is being duly recognised.”

The Business Environmental Support Scheme for Telford (BESST) was launched in 2001 to help businesses improve their environmental performance and reduce their carbon footprint. Members come from both the private and public sectors with represented industries ranging from manufacturing and engineering through to tourism and retail.

The BESST Group work in partnership with the Environment Agency and Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

Epwin Windows Systems also won the BPF Energy Award 2017 for the facility BPF/F00150 within the Climate Change Agreement. This award was also given in recognition of the company’s considerable ongoing commitment to energy reduction throughout their manufacturing processes.

The award was presented to the Epwin Windows Systems management team by Chairman of BESST, Andy Whyle, at the company’s Telford manufacturing headquarters in December.

The post BESST in class appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has relaunched two updated security glazing leaflets.

The revised “Laminated Glass: Safety and Security” and “Toughened Glass: Safety and Strength” leaflets are now available to download free from the GGF website and printed copies can be purchased on the GGF Shop.

These newly revised consumer leaflets are designed to give homeowners basic knowledge of the glass installed in their homes.

Each brochure gives details of why and where, respectively, toughened and laminated glass should be installed.

Each week the GGF receives many queries from homeowners requesting information on how to ascertain the type of glass installed in their home. The revised leaflets now give examples of markings to look for and what information the markings should contain. This information allows the homeowners to check new and existing glazing for compliance to Building Regulations and EN Product Standards for Thermally Treated Glasses.

The most recent amendments were focused on simplifying the information already provided by making the wording less technical, giving example markings, as well as updating the references to the newest versions.

Both the Laminated Glass and Toughened Glass leaflets will be regularly used by the GGF to send consumers the information they require.

They will also be of great benefit to GGF Members who can distribute them to their customers, which in turn continues to promote their products and services and the importance of security glazing.

Laminated Glass: Safety and Security

This trifold leaflet explains what laminated glass/laminated safety glass is and covers the main types of laminated glass as well as special laminates.

Other areas included are appearance, marking, availability and a list of reasons why customers should choose laminated glass with a guide to the levels of protection laminated glass offers.

It is a popular and useful leaflet for all laminated glass suppliers.

Toughened Glass: Safety and Strength

This handy leaflet explains what toughened glass is and highlights its flexibility for many glazing solutions and systems.

The publication also outlines the mandatory (critical) safety glazing areas where safety glazing materials such as toughened glass must be used by law, in new and replacement glazing applications in all buildings.

In addition the leaflet covers the extensive range of toughened glass and other thermally treated glass as well as process restrictions.

If you manufacture, supply or install toughened glass this is a very useful leaflet to provide to your customers.

Both leaflets can be downloaded from the Publications Section of the GGF website www.ggf.org.uk

Hard copies of the leaflets can be purchased from the GGF Shop http://shop.ggfmembers.com/

Members of the GGF Laminators and Tougheners Groups meet four times per year in London and Birmingham. For more information on these groups and if you wish to attend, please contact technical@ggf.org.uk

Security expert ERA has launched its new Total Security Guarantee, enabling fabricators and installers to offer home security with real confidence.

ERA’s Total Security Guarantee is supported by the Neighbourhood Watch.  Providing a straightforward approach to assuring the performance of a wide range of ERA security products, the Total Security Guarantee is the most comprehensive guarantee on the market and provides fabricators and installers with a valuable tool with which to differentiate themselves from competitors, at no extra cost.

Covering a complete package of PAS 24 window and door hardware, ERA’s Total Security Guarantee can be used to reassure customers that through knowledge built over 175 years and cutting edge product innovation, ERA has the hardware range to give them a total security solution.

Providing complete peace of mind to the homeowner, this unique opportunity offers advanced protection for the home, thereby significantly increasing compensation figures in the event of a break-in.

ERA’s marketing manager, Jemma Booker explains, “The ERA Total Security Guarantee is straightforward. Once the property is protected by our high security hardware, we guarantee to replace the homeowner’s damaged window or door and pay out a cheque for £5,000, in the event that their security is compromised. What’s more, if an ERA Invincible alarm system is fitted at the same time as door or window security, the compensation payout is increased to £10,000. As the only guarantee to be recognised by the Neighbourhood Watch, our Total Security Guarantee creates maximum appeal for ERA hardware and home security systems.”

Supported by a full suite of supporting literature at every level, ERA’s Total Security Guarantee makes it easy to supply, fit and enjoy reliable home security with total confidence.

For further information and ERA’s Total Security Guarantee and to find out more about ERA’s full range of door and window hardware and home security systems, visit www.eraeverywhere.com or contact the sales team on 01922 490 000 or by emailing info@eraeverywhere.com

Image Above: Andrew Thomson, Design and Development Director at Ultraframe

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, Ultraframe is calling for all solid roof manufacturers to publish their fire safety certification for the entire roof system – not just the components.  This heightened awareness of fire safety in construction materials has resulted in greater numbers of consumer enquiries into the fire safety performance of both Livinroof and Ultraroof – both of which have been independently tested as an entire structure by Exova Warringtonfire.

Andrew Thomson, Design and Development Director at Ultraframe is concerned that there is still a “significant” proportion of the industry that wilfully ignore the Building Regulations that govern the fire safety performance of solid roof structures, either as a new build or replacement roof system.

Andrew expands on the issue: “we have seen many examples of roof system manufacturers share the fire performance data of the tile (or finishing material?) that sits on top of the roof, but never have we seen test data that supports the entire structure.  There is a very clear lesson from Grenfell and one that we acknowledged during the development phase of both Livinroof and Ultraroof, we mustn’t assume that materials perform the same in isolated material tests as they do when they’re sandwiched together with other components such as insulation, membrane and plasterboard.  The message is simple – components assembled together must be fire tested together.”

There are two specifications that need to be addressed to ensure rigorous fire performance – the penetration of flame and the spread of flame. Combined, the two tests give the roof an overall rating of two letters in accordance with BS476-3:2004. The first letter relates to the penetration and dictates that roofs within 6m of any boundary must be classified as ‘A’. The second letter relates to the spread of flame and roofs within 6m of any boundary must be classified as A, B or C.   Therefore, if the roof being installed is within 6m of the boundary a test certificate confirming the AC rating should be available for the roof to be compliant with building regulations.  Installers must be able to show a home owner the test certificate for both A and C to confirm compliance. B-roof is the European equivalent of the AC rating that is required for UK Building Regulations.

Ultraframe is making all of their test certificates easily available to installers to allow them to clearly demonstrate the fire safety performance of both Livinroof and Ultraroof.  As Andrew concludes, home owner safety has to be paramount in the development of any new roof system: “as an installer it’s your responsibility to check the compliance of the roof system you are installing.  One of our core design principles at Ultraframe is health and safety and if it costs us more to develop a safe roof, then that’s a small price to pay in protecting the home owner that lives beneath an Ultraframe roof.”

www.ultraframe-conservatories.co.uk