November/December 2019

Industry News
THE TRUE COST
OF TOOL THEFT
More than three-quarters of Britain’s
builders have been victims of tool theft,
with some having lost more than £20,000
worth of tools in the past ten years,
according to new research by the
Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Key results from the research reveal: More
than three quarters (83%) of UK builders
have had their tools stolen; More than one in
three incidents involved theft from vans
(38%) and theft from sites (34%); Of
builders who had tools stolen in the past ten
years (78%), the most common value of loss
was £2,500. One in ten builders said that
they had at least £10,000 worth of tools
stolen, and 2% said they had at least
£20,000; When asked how many working
days builders had lost to tool theft over the
past ten years, one in three builders (29%)
said one to two working days and 16% said
two to five working days. 7% of builders said
they had lost five working days or more; Over
a 40-year working life, a builder will typically
lose £10,000 worth of tools and 6 working
days to tool theft; Tool theft is taking its toll
on builders’ mental health, causing 15% of
builders to suffer from anxiety, one in ten
builders (11%) to suffer from depression and
some reported experiences of panic attacks
and suicidal thoughts.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said:
“Decisive action is needed to tackle tool theft.
Eight in ten builders report that they have had
tools stolen before. This is causing mental
health issues amongst builders with reports of
depression, anxiety, anger, frustration, stress
and even suicidal thoughts. The Government
needs to look into tool theft and consider the
need for the introduction of tighter regulations
around selling second-hand tools, and greater
minimum fines for those convicted of tool
theft.” More on tools from p72.
ALUK BACKS BUILDING OUR SKILLS
AluK is the latest big industry name to partner
with the Building Our Skills campaign: Making
Fenestration a Career of Choice.
Technical Director Nick Cooper, explained: “I first
became aware of the Building Our Skills
campaign through conversations with Mick
Clayton, CEO of GQA Qualifications with whom we
Academy exemplar facilities, and we look forward
are an Approved Centre.
to welcoming students who visit us in 2020, and
“At the FIT Show in May, I met up with the team to playing our part in encouraging them to make
managing the campaign and it was immediately Fenestration their long-term career of choice.
evident that we should get involved. Their drive to
“I am also delighted to appoint three people from
try and attract newcomers to the Fenestration
AluK to become ‘Champions’ for Building Our Skills.
industry in order to reduce the widening skills
Darren Burford from our AluK Academy Training and
gap, and to introduce new and exciting
Support Department, Leigh Cooper our Academy
opportunities to upskill the existing workforce,
R&D Facilities Manager, and Steve Watkins, Head of
perfectly matches our own outlook on things.
Projects, will take up these positions.”
We’re proud to offer our own academy to train
people on fabrication and installation, so to join in Steph Tague of Building Our Skills said: “It is a
with them and be partners to their own Practical real sign that you have a credible plan to try and
Training Academy and the new Inspiring Talent bridge the skills gap when a company of the
Academy is a really exciting prospect for us. calibre of AluK gets on board and wants to play
such an active role. We are delighted and can’t
“We have also committed our Chepstow
wait to get working with them on the many
headquarters to be one of the Inspiring Talent
exciting initiatives that we have going.”
GGFI REBRANDS AS INSTALLSURE
Installsure is the new brand for GGFi, the
specialist insurance provider to the UK glass
and glazing industry that was created by the
Glass & Glazing Federation in 2005.
Professional Indemnity and non-domestic
Although Installsure will maintain close links with property insurance. All policies issued through
the GGF and FENSA, the rebrand is designed to GGFi will remain in place and unaltered, as will
further enhance its position as an Insurance be the organisation’s simple application process,
Backed Guarantee (IBG) market leader and seamless job registration and IBG cover for
facilitate the development of a range of new FENSA Approved Installers (as well as all
insurance products for installation companies of companies registered with alternative CP
all sizes serving both domestic and commercial schemes). Frank Allain, Director of Operations for
markets. Installsure will continue to offer the Installsure, explained: “We have big plans for
established range of domestic and commercial Installsure over the next 12 months as we expand
Insurance Backed Guarantees, Performance our suite of products and we will continue to offer
Bonds, and a range of corporate policies including market-leading policies at highly competitive
Employer, Public and Contract Works liability, rates.”
10 TINOV/DEC 2019 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST