Feb/March 2020

FEB/MAR 2020

CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN

FEATURES

• SECOND THOUGHTS: WILL

THE CLAMOUR FOR RECYCLED

PVC-U CONTENT ATTRACT THE

WRONG ATTENTION?

• FAB FIVE: THE TOP FIVE

FACTORS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR

HARDWARE SUPPLIER

• CHANGE IS COMING: HOW CAN

YOU PREPARE FOR THE IMMINENT

CHANGES TO BUILDING REGS?

Joined-up Thinking

Out and About

Trade Talks

>>> • MACHINERY • LATEST UPDATES • SMART HARDWARE • FENSTERBAU >>>

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Editor’s Comment

SOPHIE STEVENS

EDITOR

SOPHIESTEVENS@MEDIA-NOW.CO.UK

01892 732047

COVER PIC:

COURTESY OF

SHELFORCE

There is a recurrent theme running throughout this inaugural issue

of Total Fabricator, and it’s based around skills. Gaining them,

maintaining them, and retaining those people who have, or at least

have the potential to develop them, is clearly a cause for concern.

Speaking to fabricators at a recent event, the changing expectations

and attitudes of youngsters growing up in the digital age was suggested

as one barrier to recruitment, and while others praised the skill,

efficiency and work ethic of migrant workers from Europe, questions

were raised over the impact of Brexit on this valuable source of labour.

Howard Trotter talks skills and recruitment issues for fabricators on page 24.

SIGN UP FOR YOUR WEEKLY E-BLAST AT

WWW.TOTAL-FABRICATOR.CO.UK

Our departure from the EU and competition from sectors which are

“perceived as being a bit more exciting” are also among the challenges

for the machinery sector, according to Emmegi’s Wayne Hunter, who

explains why investing in the training of machine operators pays

dividends on p.38. His sentiments are echoed by Promac’s Joe Hague

on p.16, who believes “the quality of machinery operators is crucial to

a successful business”.

While challenges evidently abound, it’s good to know that the industry

is stepping-up in response. Building Our Skills’ Stephanie Tague talks

about the effort to attract and retain new talent on page 58 and on

page 24, Shelforce’s Howard Trotter explains why diversity is key.

Elsewhere, on page 28, Senior’s Tony Powell highlights how providing

fabricators with quality product training can help strengthen the supply

chain, demonstrating that skills and training are a continual process.

I hope you enjoy the issue!

Sophie

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FEB/MAR 2020 T F 3

Contents

FROM THE COVER

22 SECOND THOUGHTS

Simon Scholes says 2020 will see most PVC-U

extruders promoting sustainable window

systems, but the clamour to be green may also

attract the wrong attention

46 FAB FIVE

John Mitchell highlights the top five areas he

feels fabricators should look at when it comes

to choosing hardware distribution partners

56 CHANGE IS COMING

Phil Brown explains how a shake up in energy

efficiency regulations is set to impact the glass

and glazing supply chain, with a particular

focus on what it means for fabricators

38

FEATURES

20 GEORGIAN ERA

Phil Dewhurst Jr explains how traditional Georgian

styling continues to wow homeowners

24 ENABLING THE WORKFORCE

Howard Trotter explains how fabricators can reap the

rewards of an inclusive approach to recruitment

28 GAINING THROUGH TRAINING

Tony Powell says suppliers can strengthen links in the

supply chain by providing quality product training

38 SKILLED OPERATORS

Wayne Hunter explains why investment in training for

machinery operators will pay dividends

48 A LICENSE TO BE SMART

Giovanni Laporta says the sector needs a step change in

its thinking to maximise the benefits of smart hardware

62 BUILDING REGS AND YOU

50

Wayne Rogerson looks at the imminent updates to

Building Regs and why support is key to comply and grow

4 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN

REGULARS

SECTIONS:

12 TRADE TALKS

Jon Vanstone says forewarned is forearmed

when it comes to the changes in product regs

14 BUSINESS FOCUS

Todd Davison looks at the issues around late

payment and how to tackle them

18 OUT AND ABOUT

Total Fabricator reports back from Anglo

European’s roundtable event

64 JOINED-UP THINKING

Owen Dare of The Joinery Network talks all

things timber windows

WINDOWS

18

DOORS

30

INDUSTRY NEWS

06 HACKITT: IMPROVE STANDARDS

Dame Judith Hackitt calls on construction materials

manufacturers to improve their standards and processes

11 BI-FOLD BOUNCE PREDICTED

AMA Research forecasts growth for bi-folds through to

2023 alongside shifts in prices and sector reach

MACHINERY

38

HARDWARE &

ACCESSORIES

46

08


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 5

Industry News

HACKITT URGES

MANUFACTURERS TO

IMPROVE STANDARDS

Dame Judith Hackitt (pictured below), chair

of the transition board to establish the new

Building Safety Regulator, has called on

construction materials manufacturers to

improve their standards, processes and

digital toolkit, describing product testing,

marketing, labelling and approval

processes as “flawed, unreliable

and behind the times”.

Speaking at the NBS

Construction Product

Leaders’ Summit,

Hackitt expressed her

frustration with the

lack of progress since

the Grenfell Tower fire and

underlined that forthcoming regulation

would be robust and lead to a radical change

in culture and processes. As a result, it will

directly impact the construction product

materials supply chain. Manufacturers

will have to provide data and performance

accreditation, use standardised systems

and take a more collaborative approach,

including adopting a transparent attitude to

data sharing. Digital will be the norm, so the

sector can expect to see less substitution,

and ‘value engineering’ will move from being

about cost reduction to focus on quality.

Product stewardship will lie at the heart of

this new approach.

Hackitt concluded: “This is a once in a

generation opportunity to leave the race

to the bottom behind and change industry

practice for good.”

Richard Waterhouse, CEO, NBS, said: “It is clear

manufacturers, specifiers and construction

firms must act now and get their houses in

order, otherwise they will not be able to do

business. Very soon, digital will be as essential

to a build as bricks and mortar are today.”

THIS YEAR’S FIT SHOW CANCELLED

Organisers of the FIT Show have cancelled

this year’s event (2020) following ‘continuing

unprecedented political and economic

uncertainty’. The show will revert to a biennial

format from 2021.

Nickie West, FIT Show event director, said: “The

conditions that prompted the announcement of a

FIT Show in 2020 have all changed, even since we

made the announcement at the 2019 event.

“We have listened to the many active voices in the

FIT Show community and will return the event to its

most popular frequency, and everything that has

made it a success. It is with huge disappointment,

and with a genuine desire to preserve the longterm

success of FIT Show for the entire industry,

that we have made this decision.”

The organisers report that support for 2021

continues to be, very positive. “Where companies

have been unable to commit to 2020, they have

confirmed they will be a part of 2021. We can now

pursue that enthusiasm and focus on delivering a

fantastic FIT Show next year,” added Nickie.

Aluminium building systems manufacturer, AluK,

was among the voices of support for the 2021 FIT

Show, reserving a prime 175m 2 stand.

Veka UK’s Dave Jones has announced that

he will be retiring as MD of the systems

manufacturer after 26 years with the company.

Dave (pictured, right) will be stepping down from

the role at the end of December 2020, with the

process to recruit a successor already underway.

He said: “I’ve enjoyed a fantastic and fulfilling

career at Veka Burnley, first as operations

manager, then operations director before spending

the last 13 years as managing director.

“My working life spans almost 44 years to this

point and I feel that now is the right time to step

down as Veka UK’s managing director and hand

over the leadership of the business.

AluK’s Sioned Roberts feels it’s important for systems

companies to show their support for FIT Show 2021,

following the cancellation of this year’s event.

Marketing director, Sioned Roberts, says that AluK

is firmly behind the organisers’ decision to revert

to a two-yearly format and felt it was important for

systems companies like AluK to line up in support

of the show: “The FIT Show is important for the

whole industry – whether that’s presenting new

products, networking, learning or just exploring

new opportunities. It’s definitely been an important

element in AluK’s growth in the trade market

over recent years, and we want to see it go from

strength to strength.”

The next FIT Show will take place from

25-27 May 2021, at the NEC Birmingham.

JONES TO STEP DOWN AS VEKA MD

“Both the global Veka

Group and Veka UK have

been through many

changes over the years

and playing a small part

in the company’s ongoing

success story has been a great

honour. I count myself very lucky to have been

part of the Veka journey and to have worked

with such excellent and dedicated people. I am

immensely proud of our achievements together.

“I know that whoever takes over as managing

director in 2021 will steer the business on a path

of continued success. And in the meantime, it’s

business as usual!”

6 TF FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN

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Industry News

NEW ALI SYSTEM

FROM DECEUNINCK

ACQUISITION UNITES DIGITAL SPECIALISTS

PVC-U systems supplier, Deceuninck, has

ventured into new territory with the launch

of Decalu, a new, ultra-energy efficient

aluminium window and door system.

Decalu has been designed to combine U-values

as low as 0.68W/m 2 K, with significantly reduced

manufacturing times and increased installation

efficiencies, ‘underpinned by a commitment

to bring new levels of service and flexibility to

aluminium systems supply’.

Deceuninck Aluminium’s

Nigel Headford.

This includes dual-colour and marine grade as

standard – something which Nigel Headford,

Deceuninck Aluminium’s business development

director, says will deliver significant

advantages to fabricators and installers.

He said: “Decalu is a proven aluminium system,

which is already established throughout Europe.

It’s designed to be easy to manufacture, easy

to install and cost-effective – adding-value and

leaving manufacturers room to build in margin.”

“We’re also determined to change expectations of

service and support in aluminium. This includes

offering dual-colour product as standard.”

He added that the Decalu suite of products has

been designed to minimise stockholding through

the use of a single inner frame and mid-section;

integrated insulation and pre-inserted, coextruded

gaskets.

L-R Graeme Bailey with Paul Callaghan, Business Micros’ Jim Cronie and EDM’s Richie Thornton.

Business Micros has acquired Echo Digital ordering portals. With Business Micros’ backing,

Media (EDM), better known under its twin we think it has the potential to be even better, and

brands of The Consultancy and The Glazing we will certainly be looking to invest further in both

Vault, for an undisclosed sum.

the team and the product range.”

The move brings together two of the sector’s EDM will operate as a separate business within

biggest digital specialists and demonstrates the Business Micros group, in the same way that

Business Micros’ continuing ambition to

BM Aluminium, the specialist aluminium software

strengthen its market position in its 41st year. business, has done since 2007.

Graeme Bailey, managing director of Business Paul Callaghan, EDM’s managing director,

Micros, said: “EDM is already a really good described the acquisition as “a really exciting

business, with a great team and really exciting opportunity” for EDM, enabling it to “push on to

products, particularly in terms of its pricing and the next phase” of its growth.”

SYSTEMS SWITCH FOR ARMSTRONG

Armstrong Industries is the latest PVC-U

window and door manufacturer to

#ComeAlong to Kömmerling, after 23 years

with its former systems supplier.

The Coventry-based manufacturer, which has

been in business since 1996, operating in the

South East and Midlands, has already started

production of the Kömmerling 70 system in the

form of C70 and O70, along with the enhanced

PremiLine patio door.

It encompasses the Decalu88 bi-folding door;

Decalu163 lift-and-slide; the Decalu88 range

of contemporary casements, reversible, tiltand-turn,

and heritage options; and Decalu101

Scand, Deceuninck Aluminium’s ultra-energyefficient

window system, which achieves

U-values as low as 0.89W/m 2 K.

Gareth Jones, managing director of profine UK

and the Kömmerling brand, welcomed Armstrong

Industries into the Kömmerling family and said:

“We’ve got bold plans for 2020 with Fensterbau,

several events including a golf day and the launch

of an installer scheme to help support all of our

manufacturing partners including our new ones

such as Armstrong Industries.”

Armstrong Industries is the latest PVC-U window and door

manufacturer to #ComeAlong to Kömmerling.


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Industry News

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Hardware distributor Carl F Groupco

reports exceptional growth in orders for

tilt & turn fittings.

Carl F Groupco’s managing director, John

Crittenden, said: “Credit must be given to

our team who provide a comprehensive and

responsive service to our customers.

“Specific focus has been given to tilt &

turn product lines, including support and

promotion for Roto’s NT tilt & turn solution:

the system, which was added to our

catalogue in February 2019, has widened our

selection for customers, particularly within

the commercial and specification sectors.”

• Industry fundraiser, GM Fundraising, is

celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2020.

Gary Morton, founder of GM Fundraising, said:

“When we started GM Fundraising 25 years ago

we had no idea what it would become.

“Together, we’ve raised an incredible

amount for Hope House Children’s Hospices,

which is the most important achievement.”

To mark the anniversary, GM Fundraising is

hosting a Silver Jubilee ball on 16 May 2020

at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales.

Email sarah@gmfundraising.co.uk or

gary@gmfundraising.co.uk for further details.

• Hardware specialist, Window Ware, has

been appointed as an approved hardware

distribution partner for PVC-U systems

company Kömmerling.

The new partnership will give Kömmerling

fabricators exclusive access to Window

Ware’s new Glide Hardware range of

premium products for inline sliding PVC patio

doors, custom designed and manufactured by

CiiLOCK Engineering.

Fully compatible with the Kömmerling

PremiLine system, this range comes to

market thoroughly tested and endorsed by

the profile giant.

Find more industry news at: www.total-fabricator.co.uk

GLAZING SUMMIT LAUNCHES AWARDS

An awards event focussing on organisational

excellence within the industry is set to take place

at this year’s Glazing Summit.

The Glazing Summit Awards has been announced

as the newest addition to conference, which

takes place on Thursday, 8 October, at Edgbaston

Stadium, Birmingham.

Andrew Scott, founder of the Glazing Summit

and CEO of organiser Purplex and Insight Data,

explained: “We have some wonderful industry

awards in the glazing calendar and the Glazing

Summit Awards will be very different and

complementary to these existing and wellestablished

industry awards.

Andrew Scott, founder of the Glazing Summit.

Experience Award; Corporate Deal of the Year;

“The Glazing Summit is all about raising standards Family business of the Year; Start-up business

and focussing on industry excellence and we’re of the Year; Fast-Track business of the Year; and

delighted to announce the Glazing Summit Awards Entrepreneur of the Year.

as an exciting addition.”

The awards are free to enter, with a ‘transparent,

The list of award categories will include:

independent judging process’, and entries open on

Sustainability Award; Employer of the Year Award; 1 March and close on 30 June.

Outstanding Achievement Award; Customer www.glazingsummit.co.uk

GROWTH IN WARM EDGE EXPORT

Thermoseal Group has reported and increase trialled by manufacturers far and wide.”

in demand for its highest performance warm

Thermoseal will be exhibiting at a range of

edge spacers.

exhibitions in 2020, including Glasstec Dusseldorf

Thermoseal Group’s sales director, Mark Hickox (20-23 October), where it will once again be

(pictured below), announced a 10% growth in the holding its popular ‘ThermoBAR’.

Group’s export business which now supplies IG

Mark added: “Glasstec Dusseldorf is always

components to 48 countries in five continents.

the biggest show for us and this year is set

Mark said: “We have seen significant interest in to be no different. We are again planning our

our products from a variety of export markets to popular ThermoBAR at McLaughlin’s Irish Bar

suggest that this growth in sales will continue in the Altstadt on the Wednesday evening of

throughout 2020 and beyond.

the show. As usual, it’ll be free drinks, food

and entertainment, but you’ll need a

“In 2019, we saw a 41% growth in

dedicated entry band to get in,

sales of Thermoflex warm edge

so if you’d like to reserve your

spacer and the range of manual

bands now, please e-mail

application equipment we

marketing@thermosealgroup.

supply. This product alone is

com and we’ll make sure you’re

now sold in 15 countries across

on the list to get yours.”

four continents and is being


AMA PREDICTS

BI-FOLD BOUNCE

A new report into the prospects for bifolding

doors through to 2023, paints a

picture of growth within an increasingly

complex market.

While forecasting headline increases, the Bifold

Doors Market Report – UK 2020 to 2023

from AMA Research, suggests significant

shifts in prices and sector reach, defined by a

series of drivers.

These extend from a growing pressure on pricepoint

in trade supply and potential challenges

from other product areas, to consumer

confidence post-Brexit, and its impact on

home improvement and new-build sectors.

Jane Tarver, senior research analyst, AMA

Research, said: “We saw market growth

in bi-folds slow last year in comparison

to very positive growth between 2014 and

2018, something subdued by the uncertainty

surrounding Brexit. We perhaps now have

more clarity about the UK’s direction

of travel, and we expect this to lead to

sustained growth through to 2023, albeit at a

slightly lower rate.”

AMA is forecasting growth in the bi-folding

door market across sectors of 7% this year

[2020] but it argues that this may slow to

5% by the end of the three-year period.

Nonetheless, this represents total market

value of £113m by 2023. Aluminium remains

the most popular material type, with the

majority of bi-folding doors supplied, as

expected, as replacements for older inline

sliding products.

NEW SUPPLY AGREEMENT: IG Doors of Blackwood, South Wales, has just signed a new three-year

supply agreement with systems house, Spectus. Rhys Davies of IG Doors, which buys the Elite 70

bevelled door outerframe from Spectus, said: “We continue to work with Spectus because the product

quality and service is superb and they continue to proactively support our business needs.”

8% INCREASE IN RECYCLING FIGURES

Eurocell, the UK manufacturer, distributor and

recycler of PVC-U window and door systems, has

announced that it processed the equivalent of 3.2

million PVC-U window frames during 2019 – a

year-on-year increase of 8%.

Having invested millions in developing the

capabilities of its recycling facilities in recent

years, the company says it was able to stop tens

of thousands of tonnes of PVC-U from ending up

in landfill – approximately the same weight as

3,700 double-decker buses.

Eurocell has continuously upgraded the

capabilities of its Ilkeston and Selby-based

recycling operations since 2009.

Commenting on the announcement, Chris Coxon,

Group head of marketing at Eurocell, said:

“Operating in a sustainable and environmentallyfriendly

way has never been more important – or

topical. It’s something that we’re highly conscious

of – and have been acting on - for more than a

decade now. So it’s fantastic to have once again

made significant progress in output.”

“We’re working hard to ensure that Eurocell

Recycle, our dedicated recycling division,

continues to make a real impact. We plan to

consistently increase these figures announced

today and lead the positive work going on within

our industry.”

The report, however, identifies a number of

key trends, which have potential to redraw

the market. This includes the impact of

lowered retail price points, which the authors

of the study identify as having the potential

to erode sales in some areas, while growing

them in others. www.amaresearch.co.uk“


FEB/MAR 2020 TF 11

Trade Talks: Regulations

FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED:

PROTECTING AGAINST CHANGE

Jon Vanstone is a member of BRAC and Chair of Certass Trade Association. Below he looks

at the wider issues for products and construction with the impending regulation changes.

Products in construction are under scrutiny

like never before, and with our departure

from the EU we have entered a transition

period where our representation on the rules

and obligations enforceable on ourselves is

diminished.

British Standards Institute (BSI) remains within

CEN and CENELEC with a proposed membership

extension till the end of 2021. Yet standards

that are made at international levels and within

Europe through CEN, CENELEC and ETSI, BSI

is obliged to adopt withdrawing any British

Standards that conflict.

For many, the end of transition cannot come

soon enough as we need to know where we

are, especially with so many home-grown

amendments ahead. UK Construction will enter

a totally new phase with the introduction of the

much-anticipated Building Safety Regulator

(BSR) from the shadows of the Health and Safety

Executive (HSE).

Much is yet to be defined but we know that

BSR will oversee the design and management

of buildings with a specific focus on higherrisk

buildings delivering effective and robust

enforcement of standards. The headline being

that there will be power to apply criminal

sanctions to building owners who do not follow

the regime.

The exact definition of what is higher risk is

being consulted upon and will increase the

types of buildings included – currently seen by

many as high rise flats over 18 metres – as a

much-needed drive for change flows throughout

construction.

The regulator will advise government on which

buildings should be included in scope, driven

by an evidenced analysis of risk,

and is likely to include many

specialist buildings such as

hospitals and schools.

Government decisions in

construction are dictated by

Impact Analysis, yet these have

been called in to question recently

as rapid responses to outputs from Grenfell

analysis have led to widespread restrictions on

certain products.

Product regs – landscape is still unclear

We know that much more will come as regards

to product regulation in the UK this year, with the

imminent introduction of UKCA marking, but CE

marking will remain in place until 1st January

2021. The exact landscape is still unclear, and

the number of interest groups is rising.

Those who have had products restricted need to

start amassing third party evidence if they are

to reverse the decisions already made. The aim

is to ensure an appropriate risk profile for every

product with an aim to ensuring that restrictions

are proportionate to the safety risk they present.

We know that more than 300 high rise buildings

are still in urgent need of rectification work, and

whilst those owned by authorities can be driven

towards rectification rapidly, the majority in

private ownership are harder to move whilst the

BSR and its powers remain a theoretical body.

The automotive industry has been in the situation

we stand now due to road traffic deaths, and

items such as seat belts and air bags appeared

in rapid fashion. The only issue is that cars go to

the scrap heap much quicker than houses and

our industry programmes will be about repair and

upgrades as opposed to replacement.

01292 292 095

www.certass.co.uk

@CertassLtd

Construction is under a

significant safety spotlight

and as the focus moves from

products and design onto

the competency of the people,

there will be a considerable

number who will leave the industry.

A number of bodies talk about the absence

of workers in our construction sector – which

currently employs about 2.4 million people – but

it is better to have a deficit than a group of poor

installers which are currently prevalent in almost

every discipline including glazing.

So, with much change ahead, the pressure

to know more and be represented becomes

of paramount importance to fabricators and

manufacturers. It is for this reason that

Certass is expanding its award-winning trade

association membership to allow the formation

of manufacturer action groups to look at specific

issues and work on pathways forward.

Certass is in a unique position; far better

informed and connected than many others, it

is able to help drive positive industry agendas.

These need to be for the betterment of our

industry at large as opposed to a selected few,

and so balance will be important.

We know much will flow from the Grenfell enquiry

and we need to be ready to react fast, as if we

don’t affect change it will simply happen to us as

an industry.

Left: Jon Vanstone.

Contact Certass Trade Association


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Poor Payment

HOW TO TACKLE LATE PAYMENT

By Todd Davison, MD, Purbeck Insurance Services.

Late payment remains a curse for smaller

businesses, so when a new private members

bill was launched in the House of Lords in

January with proposals for a statutory limit of

30 days for paying bills and for unfair payment

practices to be outlawed, the move received

widespread support.

As a provider of personal guarantee insurance

for the owners and directors of small businesses

across the UK who have taken out a personal

guarantee backed business loan, the biggest

portion of our customers are working in property

and construction. The team at Purbeck is

therefore on the front line when it comes to

understanding the financial stress SMEs face

when firms higher up the chain won’t pay what

they owe on time.

We regularly speak to owners and directors who

have taken the serious step of securing new

finance to plug the gaps in cashflow created by

late payment, prompting the demand for personal

guarantee insurance.

Not surprisingly, when we surveyed the owners and

directors of small businesses in the construction

sector last year, over a third (35%) said the most

challenging and difficult aspect of running their

business was dealing with late payment.

The new late payment bill is good

news but it will take time for

it to pass into law. However,

there are steps businesses

can take to reduce the risk of

late payment and many of the

tactics below are designed to get

your invoice to the top of the pile.

• Use the Late Payment Act. This allows any

business paid late to claim interest for the period

the debt was overdue, plus compensation, if the

contract terms allow it. The entitlement to claim

interest and compensation remains for six years

on each and every invoice paid late.

• State the Terms and Conditions of payment

clearly including how you will deal with overdue

payments and the fact that the cost of any debt

recovery activity will be added to the invoice

• Tell customers early on, as part of good

relationships, that legal action will be taken

against non-payers.

• Send an invoice by email to your contact and

accounts payable at the same time – making

doubly sure your invoice has been received.

• Add up the costs of going legal early (interest,

late payment compensation, indemnity costs

Left: Todd Davison.

under contract) and confirm

the figure to your customer.

Use an online late payment

calculator to help work this

out.

• Use a Late Payment Demand to

show the customer the costs they will

face, in addition to the debt, if they don’t pay up.

• A Letter Before Action (LBA) is the last resort

before taking a claim to court. It sends a strong

message to late payers and gives them one last

chance to settle their debt.

• Obtain fixed fee advice from a specialist

solicitor before sending an LBA if any issues or

disputes arise with your debtors.

• Consider using a Winding-Up demand for debts

over £750.

• Make a call before you issue a Claim to remind

them of the escalating costs that will result in

court proceedings.

• Tell your legal representatives to include your

contractual costs, compensation and interest if

you are entitled to them all.

• After the Claim is issued, ask the debtor if they

want to pay to avoid Judgment which will hit their

credit rating.

Without strong cash flow it is difficult for

small businesses to reinvest and grow, so

being tough and having a robust approach to

late payment could push your invoices higher

up the pile and save the time and stress of

chasing in the future.

Contact Purbeck

0208 004 7250

www.purbeckinsurance.co.uk

@PG_Insurance


Hall 3 Stand 3-149

Interview: Promac

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE...

Promac offers a range of PVC-U, aluminium and glass machinery for fabricators backed up

with long-term guidance, advice and support. With this in mind, Total Fabricator recently

got the opportunity to sit down for a quick chat with Promac’s Joe Hague to discuss the

skills shortage which is impacting on fabricators and the wider construction sector…

As much as the team at Promac can advise

and help fabricators with investment in the

correct machinery – at the right time – to

help develop their offering, create efficiencies that

meet the needs of their customers and ultimately

grow their businesses, just as important to Joe

and the team are the issues that are impacting

on fabricators in the day-to-day running of their

business.

Struggling to attract new entrants

One such issue is the skills shortage which is

affecting the wider construction industry. Whilst

there’s a lot of talk about the lack of skilled

workers on site entering the sector and what we

can do to attract the next generation of installers,

Joe points out there is also a big issue in terms

of recruitment of skilled workers for fabricators

when it comes to operatives on the factory floor.

Joe explained: “Manpower is key for fabricators,

but even more so the quality of machinery

operators is crucial to a successful business.

I worry that as a sector we are struggling to

attract school leavers and operatives into those

positions, and if we are able to find them, are we

able to keep them?”

Joe points to the recruitment plans he has

initiated within Promac’s workforce: “I’m proud

to say that four members of our team are

apprentices, two of which work in administrative

roles and two in technical. My commitment to our

local community to take apprentices on is clear,

as is my commitment to invest in young talent,

their skills development, as well their work / life

balance too. Promac is under constant pressure

from other entities to recruit from our team, so

it’s important that we have all our bases covered

ranging from developing trainees to skilled

experience.”

Whilst having the skilled workers is key for

fabricators, Joe says planning and automation

is also crucial for fabricators, as what they’re

purchasing now will shape their business for

the future. Key to this, he adds, is “the

maintenance and upkeep of

the machines”. As such,

Promac place a lot of

emphasis on training for the

maintenance and upkeep

of the machines it supplies

and this, Joe explains, is

essential to maximise the output

and get the most from any machinery

package: “We do provide training for machinery

operatives and this includes maintenance. This

is vital for what is a significant purchase for

any business of any size. The issue with a high

turnover of staff and little continuity is vital

machine operation and maintenance knowledge

can be lost, which will ultimately cause issues

with quality and output.”

Trends in the market

As mentioned earlier, a key part of Promac’s role

as a machinery supplier is looking to the future

and finding out what fabricators are trying to

“We’re a service

business and we need

to look to the future

– what does it look

like? What are the

challenges?”

achieve with their business. This

involves almost pre-empting the

trends in the market, seeing

what’s on the horizon and

liaising with machinery suppliers

to come up with next generation

solutions to meet the expectations that

fabricators demand. Joe points to the trend for

Timberlook foils and seamless welding to achieve

the required finish as a recent example. Promac

offers the Graf Synergy SL4FF-EVO seamless

welding machine to meet these requirements.

He explained: “We’re a service business and we

need to look to the future – what does it look

like? What are the challenges? We need to assess

what the business needs and what they’re

looking to develop and assist them in getting

there. Graf’s first truly seamless welder was

released over six years ago and you can see the

very latest high speed SL4 FF Sport, 5 head inline

and horizontal 8 head versions at Fensterbau

Nuremburg in March.”

Discuss your requirements with Promac:

Contact Promac

Above: The Graf Synergy SL4FF. Left: Joe

Hague, group managing director, Promac.

01788 577 577

promacgroup.co.uk

More on machinery page 38.


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FEB/MAR 2020 T F 17

Out and About: Anglo European

A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED

From Brexit to recruitment struggles, conditions are challenging for window and door

manufacturers. Total Fabricator visited Anglo European to explore some of the issues and

reports on how the steel reinforcement supplier is helping its customers thrive in tough times.

fabricator’s friend’ is how

Manchester-based rolled steel

‘The

reinforcement specialist, Anglo European,

describes itself and by all accounts, even the

most successful factions of the British window

and door manufacturing sector could do with a

friend right now.

Market conditions for fabricators were discussed at a recent

roundtable event organised by Anglo European.

Despite optimism for the new year, challenges

abound. Jim Moody, Anglo customer and

managing director of Cambridgeshire-based

window and door fabricator, Tradelink, blames

the political backdrop for many of the difficulties

experienced in recent months.

Jim is discussing trading conditions as part of a

roundtable event, recently organised by Anglo. The

second half of 2019 was “just full of interruption”,

he says; “the on and off switch, Brexit; then the

general election in December...” This, Jim argues,

made trade supply and the home improvement

sector challenging throughout the year.

But it’s not just Brexit making life difficult.

With high-value products, new colour options

and materials such as aluminium gaining

traction in the modern marketplace, the need to

accommodate consumer demands pose further

hurdles for manufacturers of all sizes, not least the

smaller organisations operating from a single site.

“Every year you have to kind of reinvent yourself,”

says Mike Parczuk, MD of Lincoln-based fabricator,

Sternfenster, another Anglo customer. “That’s

what our industry’s always been about, whether

it’s coming from espags to shoot bolts, to smart

technology, we’re constantly having to evolve our

product range and our services to offer something

better, different colour, quicker, faster, smarter...”

Elsewhere, staffing issues are increasingly

challenging for some fabricators. Anglo customer

“We’re constantly

having to evolve to

offer something better”

Mike Parczuk, Sternfenster

and MD of Bolton-based Keyframe, Jim Whittles,

states he struggles to find local labour, with most

school-leavers uninterested in factory work.

“You can take on, maybe, 40 people to retain

one,” he says. “When we first got into the industry,

you’d maybe take three on and keep one but

now, the quality of people and their attitudes and

expectations… it’s just a different culture…

“People come in and you think, ‘yes, great’ and

after two, three, four months, they don’t turn up.”

Challenges facing fabricators

With so many challenges facing fabricators like

Tradelink, Sternfenster and Keyframe, Anglo

believes its cut-to-size reinforcement options

provide a rare opportunity for manufacturers of

all sizes to make significant cost savings that

could make a real difference to their business

overheads and according to Mike Parczuk, the

Anglo offer is a no-brainer.

While Mike remains optimistic, he admits that

times are getting tougher and therefore “you have

to be smarter at what you do”.

“You have to find new markets,” he says. “You

have to work harder; look at your margins, which is

why fabricators should be looking at Anglo.”

Since it was founded in 1989, Anglo has

supplied more than 250 million metres of

steel reinforcement to its customers, growing

rapidly through a combination of innovation and

acquisition. Managing director Paul Sullivan

joined the business in 1995, completing an MBO

in 2006. Anglo’s cut-to-size service was launched

the same year and has proved to be an invaluable

asset to the company’s offering.

According to Anglo’s commercial director, Lee

Marriott, the process of switching to buy cut-tosize

steel reinforcement direct from Anglo can

result in “huge savings” for those fabricators

still buying steel from their systems houses, “on

average around 30% as a general rule of thumb”.


Lee claims that buying direct from Anglo will

avoid any costly middle-margins, while the

crucial cut-to-size element of Anglo’s product

offering also minimises waste and reduces

labour costs.

As a result, he suggests that savings can range

from an estimated £12,220 per annum for

smaller fabricators manufacturing around 100

windows per week, to up to £240,000 per annum

for larger fabricators manufacturing around 2,000

windows per week.

And it’s not just pie in the sky: “We can

substantiate those figures as well,” adds Anglo’s

MD, Paul Sullivan, who is staggered as to why a

manufacturer would pass up the opportunity to

make such a significant saving: “If a fabricator’s

manufacturing 200 windows per week, and

they can literally save 25 grand a year, just by

switching a steel supplier, I don’t

know why they’re not doing it

now,” he says.

Despite the obvious

benefits of Anglo’s offering

as an alternative to

buying steel from systems

companies, its recent efforts

to highlight these benefits have

proved highly sensitive, with several

systems houses questioning the quality and

regulatory compliance of the Anglo product.

With some critics likening the Anglo service to

the concept of ‘value engineering’, Paul is quick

to reject such negative connotations: “We don’t

value engineer – but we do engineer in value,” he

says. “We’re all about quality not quantity. We do

everything properly – check it, check it and check

it again…”

Aiming to set the record straight, Anglo

commissioned independent UKAS-accredited

testing house, Build Check, to carry out a series of

tests which revealed that the Anglo reinforcements

matched requirements for weathertightness set by

three leading systems houses for reinforcement –

fully complying with BS6375-1:2015.

Anglo’s Lee Marriott

The series of independent assessments also

found that both of the coating grades offered by

Anglo, which include GZ275UK and GZ140EU,

met reinforcement performance criteria set out

by the three leading systems companies and with

further independent testing underway on

other systems, Anglo hopes to announce

further approvals later this year.

With exchange rates likely to put

material costs under pressure over

the next 12 months, all Anglo’s

products – which, besides steel

reinforcements, also extend to aluminium

components following its acquisition of

Aluminium Shapes in 2017 – are made in

Britain; another appealing aspect of its offer in

the current climate.

“Anglo have tuned into

modern manufacturing

techniques”

Jim Moody, Tradelink

And with customer service a priority, Anglo will

go the extra mile to live up to its self-proclaimed

‘fabricator’s friend’ status, as Paul explains,

using Tradelink as an example: “Tradelink run two

different systems and three different sites; we’ll

deliver them on pallets; the sash on one pallet, the

door on another pallet, the frame on another pallet;

all to strategic points, even on different days...”

“We’re all about quality

not quantity. We do

everything properly”

Paul Sullivan, Anglo European

It’s this kind of attention to detail that sets Anglo

apart according to Jim Moody: “I would say the

biggest saving is the way Anglo have tuned into

modern manufacturing techniques,” he says. “We

would buy the same section in 50mil increments

in some instances. So that has been inserted

straight into the product.”

Virtually zero scrap

“But then there’s the scrap as well,” says Paul.

“There’s virtually zero scrap because we optimise

the 6m bar literally to within 100mm, so instead

of going into a fabricator, and finding a steel bin

overflowing with offcuts… they don’t get that

with cut-to-size.”

And with free carriage for orders over £500, the

versatility of having its own transport fleet means

that Anglo can reroute drivers to meet fabricators’

individual needs.

“That’s why we call ourselves the fabricator’s

friend,” says Paul, “because we do everything we

can. And if we can’t do it, we tell them we can’t

do it, but at least we’re honest and they know

where they are.”

In challenging times, we could all do with a friend

– and it’s clear that Anglo is well-equipped to

help fabricators reap the benefits of its services,

even in tough conditions.

Contact Anglo European

www.angloeuropeangroup.co.uk

@Anglo_European


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 19

Heritage windows

GEORGIAN ERA: TIMELESS STYLE

Phil Dewhurst Jr, commercial director at The Georgian Bar Company, reveals how

traditional Georgian styling continues to wow homeowners worldwide.

When we talk about Georgian style, often

we imagine ourselves walking around

the beautiful streets of Harrogate, or the

classic crescents of Bath. They have outlasted

their owners for many generations and maintain a

popularity like no other. But it’s not just in the UK

you’ll find this styling. When the founding fathers

went over to the US, many chose to recreate the

elegant Georgian architecture. Georgian design

cues were also added where the British built

grand homes in India.

The Georgian period spanned four King Georges.

It lasted more than a century, starting in 1714

with King George I, continuing through the reigns

of George II and III, and finishing with George IV

before Victoria took the throne.

Georgian homes are characterised by their

symmetry, especially when it comes to window

and door placement. Sometimes there were

decorative headers above the windows, but often

“Trends might change,

but style never goes

out of fashion”

Phil Dewhurst Jr, pictured right.

these were pared down to

a few elegant symmetrical

lines. Most were built with

hip roofs and often included

dormer windows to house the

nursery or servants. Brick and stone were the

most popular choices for wall construction, and

it’s because they were so well-built that they

have survived so long. Internally they have high

ceilings and tall windows allowing a huge amount

of natural light into the rooms, which gives them

a sense of openness.

The symmetry and boxiness

made the design simple, and

simple means cheaper to build.

With fewer nooks and crannies,

the build time is reduced,

another good reason why the

design travelled so far around

the world.

To get the large panes in the

original Georgian homes, they

had to be made up of smaller

squares of glass. And the need

for Georgian bars to connect

them, was born.

Today, modern glass sizes

are much bigger and the

need for individual panes

has disappeared. To get the

most authentic look for PVC-U

windows and doors, our

patented Georgian Bar system is designed to

offer fabricators the best. A special clip holds

the bars in place, and the snap fixings mean that

they stay put.

The demand for Georgian style windows

is here to stay. While it’s almost 200

years since the end of the Georgian

period, for self-builders Georgian

design is on top of the wish list. It’s the

same for house developers who can create

an established feel for a new estate from day

one by including Georgian architectural cues,

especially when it comes to windows.

We work with several fabricators who supply

into new-build and the attention to detail in

the windows will make the difference in styling

for the whole house. What we are seeing is

a contrast between the front and rear of the

properties, with Georgian elegance at the front,

and wide-span glazed doors at the rear. This

gives the new owners exactly what they want and

fits in with the way we live our lives today.

As well as in the UK, the Georgian Bar Company

manufactures in both the US and India through

our partners. The same styling is needed, but

we’ve made a few changes to ensure the bars are

suitable for higher temperatures, with a special

tropical mix that maintains UV stability in warmer

climes, and for hurricanes and skyscrapers we

have developed a special clip for the US market.

These developments mean our Georgian bars

travel beautifully, much like me! After all, trends

might change, but style never goes out of fashion.

Contact The Georgian Bar Company

01772 631441

geofast.co.uk

@geofastsystem


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Article PVC-U Recycling

BEWARE THE RECYCLING ROGUES

Simon Scholes, MD of VEKA Recycling, believes that 2020 will see most PVC-U extruders

promoting ‘sustainable’ window systems. But, he says, the clamour to be green will also

attract the wrong attention...

Can you feel it? The groundswell that is the

wider acceptance by the UK window and

door industry that not only is the recycling

of old PVC-U frames good for the industry, at

long last the inclusion of recycled material in

new profiles is also a positive. The incredibly

anachronistic view that homeowners don’t want

‘second hand’ material in their new windows is

at last being replaced by the concept – shock

horror! – that taking the old and recycling it into

something new is a good thing. And that actually,

it might even sell more product. For what can be

an incredibly progressive industry, this is one key

area in which it has collectively dragged its heels.

A number of key players have at last decided

to make sustainability one of the key tenets of

their brand and they must be commended, even

if they too are behind the curve of pretty much

every other consumer sector; though better late

than never. They are tapping into the mindsets of

homeowners increasingly swayed by the constant

stream of information coming through every

information channel, about the need for all of us

to reduce our impact on the planet. And before

you roll your eyes at yet another sermon, this will

put money in the pockets of anyone involved with

PVC-U windows and doors…

Commercial sense

How? There are two strings to how sustainability

makes commercial sense for the PVC-U framing

industry: The recovery of old PVCU frames and

recycling them to be remanufactured into brand

new products; and the inclusion of reprocessed

polymer from old windows in brand new profiles.

The first is known and understood by most, if for

no other reason than it makes financial sense

to have old frames collected rather than pay for

them to be skipped off to landfill.

Simon Scholes, MD of VEKA Recycling

“ There is potential

for rogue waste

contractors to

derail us”

The second of these still requires wider

acceptance by the industry – although not, I

maintain, by Mr and Mrs Homeowner – that

profiles extruded using recycled material will

perform at least as well as those produced using

only virgin polymer. I am astonished to hear the

view – though less so these days – from some

fabricators and installers, that somehow profile

containing ‘second hand’ material is inferior.

Despite this residual negativity I firmly believe

that 2020 will see most of the remaining

PVC-U systems brands beginning to support

the excellent sustainability credentials of the

material, bringing us into the 21st Century and

in-line with consumer demands. Crucially, the

industry moving together will have the effect,

long overdue, of distancing PVC-U from single

use plastics and other materials – the images

of which are causing widespread concern at the

validity of plastic generally.

However, whilst as a seasoned campaigner for

PVC-U recycling I am delighted that I can now

see wholesale movement towards the treatment

of used PVC-U as a valuable commodity instead

of something to simply be discarded, we do face

a number of potential stumbling blocks along the

way; and not least of these is the potential for

rogue waste contractors to derail us.

By law, the responsibility for old PVC-U frames

does not end the minute they are collected by

the disposal contractor. Under the Environmental

Protection Act of 1990 everyone in the chain, from

installer through to final disposal, has a duty of

care to ensure that waste is collected, processed

and disposed of according to a number of strict

rules. A code of practice applies throughout

the chain and failure to comply can result in

fines that have no upper limit. In other words,

installers removing old PVC-U frames must have

proof that they will be processed and disposed of

responsibly or may find themselves facing the full

power of the courts.

Crucially, as our industry finally becomes

sustainable in the recycling and re-use of PVC-U

frames, with the increased volumes also comes

the potential for abuse by rogue traders. So whilst

we must take pride in the fact that our industry is

enhancing its green credentials, we must be sure

that it does not come before a great fall (further

information can be found at: www.legislation.gov.

uk/uksi/1990/2635/contents/made).

Contact Veka Recycling

01933 427750

veka-recycling.co.uk


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Diversity & Recruitment

ENABLING THE WORKFORCE

Howard Trotter, Shelforce’s business manager, explains why he feels diversity is the key

to recruitment in the fenestration industry and discusses Shelforce’s unique approach to

recruitment.

With the skills shortage proving a huge

barrier to growth for the industry,

window and door manufacturer

Shelforce has been reaping the rewards from a

diverse and inclusive approach to recruitment.

Specialising in providing high-quality PVCu and

aluminium products to local authority building

projects, Shelforce is Birmingham City Council’s

chosen manufacturer of choice.

But it’s not just the difference Shelforce is making

outside the workplace that’s impressive, it’s the

difference the company is making inside as well,

with 75% of its workforce disabled.

Howard Trotter, Business Manager, started

working at the company in 2013 at a time

when the business was facing major financial

challenges.

But thanks to his experience in lean

manufacturing, team building and a dedication

to training and nurturing skills, the company has

experienced a huge turnaround.

A real benefit

In that time, production efficiency has reportedly

increased by 759% and the company has gone

from an operating loss of £1.8million to now

making a profit.

But, as Howard explains, it’s not just the

company that’s reaping the rewards, and the

value that Shelforce delivers goes beyond

financial return.

“At Shelforce we have benefited hugely from the

in-built resilience of disabled workers because we

take the approach that it’s about the ability, not

the disability,” said Howard.

“And our approach to development has enabled

people with different skills and aspirations to

succeed and grow within their roles, leading to

30% of the workforce successfully

moving to more senior roles and

over 85% diversifying their roles.

“We provide our workforce

with a place that gives them

confidence, motivation and

direction.”

An integrated approach

Shelforce has been providing an inclusive

employment policy for over 150 years, having

been founded in 1839 as a workplace for visually

impaired people as part of the Royal School for

the Blind.

The company re-invented its business model by

adopting an ambitious approach to embed both

commercial and lean manufacturing principles

into the business and invest in the diversity of its

workforce.

A hands-on, practical approach to training that

replicates the factory floor operations, means

all employees have a complete understanding

of their role in the production process. This has

led to both increased performance and record

employee retention levels.

“Having an integrated approach to employment

requires an unconventional recruitment process

and a hands-on, practical approach to training

that replicates the factory floor operations,” said

Howard.

“But if you’re willing to make that initial

investment, you’re rewarded with the most

passionate, loyal and dedicated workers you

could ask for.”

Leading the way

This inclusive approach to employment, and

the benefit it has demonstrated, is challenging

the perception of people with disabilities in the

shortage.

Contact Shelforce

0121 603 5262

www.shelforce.com

@ShelforceUK

workplace, both in fenestration

and the wider business world.

Howard spoke at the 2019

Glazing Summit about the

benefits of a fully-inclusive

workforce and tackling the skills

“One of our aims at Shelforce is to encourage

other businesses to adopt our inclusive

employment approach,” explained Howard.

“By speaking at major industry events such as the

Glazing Summit, I hope that some of the window

and door firms see how well we are doing and give

it a try.”

Shelforce is also focussing beyond the existing

workforce through the development of a training

programme linked to local special schools.

To aid this, the company will be opening a training

facility to help equip young people with disabilities

with the skills and confidence for employment,

particularly in the manufacturing industry.

Howard added: “One of the main barriers to growth

and challenges in the industry is currently facing is

a skills shortage and how we attract more people

into the industry is something we all need to think

about.

“There are answers out there and a commitment

to training and employment, as well as investing

in the right people, is vital to help future-proof the

industry.”

Left: Howard Trotter, Shelforce.


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colours and any RAL

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Industry leading

10-year guarantee

Find out how integrated blinds from

HiTech Blinds can help you grow your business…

t. 0330 6780 280

e. info@hitechblinds.co.uk

www.hitechblinds.co.uk

PROUD TO SUPPORT

Window Updates

For further info on all these window updates and more, visit www.total-fabricator.co.uk

A STRIKING FACADE

A landmark mixed-use scheme in Cardiff has been given a sleek and striking façade thanks to

Senior Architectural Systems’ SF52 aluminium curtain wall system.

Senior worked in collaboration with supply chain partner Denval to deliver the curtain wall package for

two recently completed seven-storey office buildings, Capital Quarter No. 3 and No. 4. Combining slim

sightlines and excellent thermal performance, Senior’s SF52 aluminium curtain walling was the ideal

choice for the extensively-glazed buildings which, designed by Morgan 2 Morgan Architects, benefit from

bright and modern interiors and a stylish envelope design.

Senior’s popular SF52 aluminium system features attractive slim sightlines and enhanced thermal performance

to help boost energy-efficiency. Available as a mullion drained system which removes the need for visible

drainage slots, Senior’s SF52 curtain wall can be specified as capped, silicone sealed or as a combination of

the two for even greater design flexibility. Thanks to Senior’s in-house powder coating facility, the SF52 system

is available in an almost unlimited range of colours and finishes. www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk

GARNALEX PROUD TO BE BRITISH

Garnalex, the aluminium extrusion company behind the innovative Sheerline system, has been

awarded the ‘Made in Britain’ mark of provenance.

Made in Britain recognises excellence in manufacturing and promotes British-made products across

all sectors, giving businesses and consumers confidence and clarity that they are buying British.

Roger Hartshorn, Garnalex CEO, said: “Currently 190,000 tons of extruded aluminium is consumed in

the UK, but only 110,000 tons is made in the UK. We plan to make a big dent in those import statistics!

“Garnalex is proud to invest in British manufacturing – our new Sheerline aluminium window and door

system is designed in Britain and made in Britain.” www.sheerline.com

Aluminium systems manufacturer, Garnalex, has been

awarded the ‘Made in Britain’ mark of quality.

STELLAR'S A STAR

Launched last year, Stellar, the aluminium window and door system from Epwin Window

Systems (EWS), was designed to push the boundaries of aluminium window and door design.

Faster to fabricate and simpler to install than rival systems according to EWS, Stellar features a

patent-pending reverse butt joint, which allows products to be fabricated without dummy sashes or

reverse adaptors.

Currently comprising two open-out flush casement window options and a flush residential door, the

system will soon be joined by a lift and slide patio door and a bi-fold door that offers the lightweight

strength of aluminium, combined with the option of PVC-U beading. www.stellaraluminiun.co.uk

THE ULTIMATE IN THERMAL PERFORMANCE

When Green Building Store, the supplier of specialist products for low energy building projects, developed Ultra,

a range of triple glazed windows certified to Passivhaus standard, it chose Swisspacer Ultimate spacer bar for its

exceptional thermal performance.

With Psi values up to 0.029 W/mK and a correspondingly low U-value for windows and façades, Ultimate is tried and

tested for outstanding performance and long-lasting results.

Swisspacer is used in around 90% of all international Passivhaus installations, and Ultimate was the first spacer bar to

be certified by the Passivhaus Institute. Chayley Collis, communications manager, Green Building Store, said: “If customers

are aiming for Passivhaus standard or very near, we recommend our Ultra range.” www.swisspacer.com


ALUK LAUNCHES FLUSH OPTION

AluK has added another variant to its 58BW window system with the launch of the new 58BW Flush.

According to AluK, this gives its customers a cost-effective way of targeting the fast growing flush window market

with a window which requires just three new flush profiles and no changes to their existing 58BW fabrication set ups.

Sioned Roberts, marketing director, says that for AluK customers it represents a real opportunity to win business

not just in the traditional timber replacement market, but also in those domestic and commercial projects where

the emphasis is on contemporary styling. She said: “The 58BW Flush offers a perfect combination of flush finish

and the option of slim sightlines, which makes it ideal for contemporary new-builds and refurbishment projects

replacing slimline timber or even steel. It’s a natural extension to the 58BW system and, like the rest of the range,

is quick and easy to fabricate.”

The new AluK 58BW Flush is available with a choice of contemporary sashes to create either 70mm or slimmer

46mm sightlines. The sharp shadow line can be achieved with open-out sashes in bottom, top, side, French

casement, and multi-light opening, fitted using dummy sashes. www.alukgb.com/58bwflush

AluK has launched the 58BW Flush.

Profine Group and its Kömmerling brand are offering ‘Your

Window to a Better World’ at Fensterbau 2020.

HYBRID TECH AT FENSTERBAU

Under the theme of its motto: ‘Your Window to a Better World’, Profine Group and its

Kömmerling brand will be the largest exhibitor at Fensterbau Frontale, taking place in

Nuremberg, Germany, from March 18-21, 2020.

Among the numerous innovations on display on the Profine Group stand will be Kömmerling Unity, a

hybrid PVC-U and aluminum system devised in collaboration with systems house, Stemeseder.

The show will also feature proStratoTec, a ‘revolutionary’ technology involving the adoption of the

high-tech material Ultradur from BASF, which is integrated into the profile structure through a triextrusion

process, thereby removing the need for steel reinforcement. www.kommerling.co.uk

TIME FLYS WITH GEOFAST

Award-winning designer, fabricator, supplier and installer of windows and doors, Unique Window

Systems is celebrating almost a decade of partnership with The Georgian Bar Company.

Sunil Patel, joint managing director of Leicester-based Unique, said: “The previous astragal bar

system that we used just wasn’t good enough. It caused so many on-site complications because it

was fiddly to fit. Also, we had to deal with far too many call backs due to bars falling off.

“After speaking with The Georgian Bar Company and seeing the Geofast system, it was obvious that

we had to start using it. That was nearly 10 years ago now and we’ve never looked back... The clip

system is superb!” www.geofast.co.uk

WIDGETS ON YOUR WALL

With so many products, systems and ancillaries from Window Widgets, the company has

displayed them all on six A1 posters in support of its 158-page catalogue dubbed by the

industry as ‘the big pink book.’

The six wall charts represent the key product categories of Werbar, baypole jacks, inline couplers,

corner posts, vertical slider couplers and corner posts. Each product range is colour-coded and the

products are shown with exact dimensions and their respective product codes.

Well-known to the PVC-U sector, Window Widgets also offers products for the aluminium and

composite door sectors, available from stock in a variety of finishes. windowwidgets.co.uk


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 27

Product Training

GAINING THROUGH TRAINING

Tony Powell, business development manager at Senior Architectural Systems, explains how

product suppliers can help strengthen the links in the supply chain by providing fabricators

with quality product training.

Between new product launches,

modifications to existing ranges and

evolving building regulations, not to

mention the need to keep on top of best

practice and health and safety, even the most

experienced of trade fabricators can benefit from

training. However, finding the time to fit training

into a busy work schedule can be equally as

challenging. This is why making product training

accessible and enjoyable should be a key part of

the service that product manufacturers offer their

customers. But what can fabricators expect from

training and more importantly, what can they gain

from it?

The value of training

While training is an essential part of the

construction industry, it is an area that is widely

undervalued and underdeveloped. Not only has

the gradual decline of apprenticeship schemes

made it even harder for young people to develop

the skills they need to be able to pursue a

successful career in the fenestration industry,

but many companies have found that the everincreasing

skills gap

has been a major

barrier to future

growth. On a

personal level,

there’s always

something new

you can learn to do,

or do better. That’s why

training is important at every

stage of your career – not just at the beginning.

Taking advantage of the specific training offered

by manufacturers can help fabricators get the

most out of a product by understanding more

about how it has been developed. Being trained

“Keeping up to date

with new products,

modifications and best

practice is a great way

to raise your game”

to use a specific product not only gives

greater confidence that the chosen

system is fit for purpose and will

meet the various requirements

of the contract, but also ensures

that trade specialists have the

knowledge and skills they need to

be able to ensure correct procedures

are followed on site. This reduces the

likelihood of mistakes being made, which can be

costly and time consuming to put right and which

can cause irreversible damage to reputations.

A hands-on approach

The most effective training is that which

combines practical and theoretical elements –

and the opportunity to put what has been learnt

into practice in a controlled environment. That’s

exactly the format that our own product training

sessions follow, and we have found that even

those who haven’t been in a classroom for years

respond well to the mix of written assessments

and practical tasks.

It’s not just about how the product works though,

the best training also covers the key issues of

health and safety, sustainable construction

techniques and best practice. Having a crosssection

of different ages and levels of experience

taking part in the same training session can

generate some great discussions and can also be

an enjoyable team building exercise.

Tangible benefits

Although training is optional, it is highly

recommended as it can give a great commercial

advantage, and main contractors are increasingly

looking for evidence that the supply chain is

highly skilled and has current competency.

Indeed, we have a number of supplier agreements


“Having the right skills

is what wins new

business”

in place with a number of top contractors and the

success of these are reliant on us having a pool

of talented and reliable fabricators.

Our courses are also supported by GQA

Qualifications, the leading awarding body in

the fenestration industry and the only issuer of

CSCS cards for the glass and glazing industry,

so fabricators can be sure that time invested in

training is time well spent.

Keeping up to date with new products, product

modifications and best practice is a great way to

raise your game, and the likely success of your

bids. After all, having the right products and tools

can finish a job, but having the right skills is what

wins new business.

Senior Architectural Systems recently opened

a dedicated training academy at its South

Yorkshire head office and is now offering a

comprehensive training programme in the use of

its SF52 aluminium curtain walling system.

Contact Senior Architectural Systems

01709 772600

www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk

@Senior_Systems

Putting

Putting

Putting

strategy at at the the

strategy heart of of at your the

heart communications

of your

communications

for results that that

for results that

matter

matter

Building business on reputation

Building Building business business on reputation

reputation

514 t: 01672514 514947

947

e: hello@brouhamarketing.com

w: e:

www.brouhamarketing.com

hello@brouhamarketing.com

w: www.brouhamarketing.com


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 29

Glass Options

ADDING VALUE WITH GLASS

DoorCo MD, Dan Sullivan, discusses how glass is now an integral part of the composite

door supply chain, helping the homeowner find their ideal composite door.

T

he new 2020 Decorative Glass Additions

range from DoorCo now offers customers

524 stock lines including traditional,

contemporary or minimalist options, as well as a

range of designs unique to DoorCo. Renowned as

being the original champion of choice, DoorCo has

undertaken this expansion in line with growing

demand from customers for their just in time (JIT)

glass and glazing service.

More choice

Compared with many other suppliers’ limited

choices of glass, DoorCo’s range is pretty

impressive, from more standard designs for

new-build and social housing to decorative or

contemporary choices for retail. But we’re not

offering choice for the sake of it. Following an

extensive review of our glass ranges using

sales and trends data, we have been able

to bring together a carefully consolidated

range that will allow for even faster lead

times. Obscure, clear and many decorative

glass lines are now stocked for off-the-shelf

despatch from three days, with the rest of

our comprehensive decorative range to follow

“Decorative glass can

allow homeowners

to personalise their

homes effortlessly”

as we move towards becoming the market

leader in JIT glass and glazing.

Our new brochure reflecting these changes

and a full suite of new images are now

available to customers.

More stock

The review has also meant that we can hold

even more stock of the new glass ranges from

a larger network of selected supplier partners,

building more resilience into the supply chain for

our customers. And just a hint about our growing

glass supplier network – our creative consultant

Jeyda is currently working on her own exclusive

range, hopefully available in the autumn.

Our commitment to keeping a close eye on

market trends, talking to customers regularly

and tracking orders, means we know which

designs, and how much glass to stock. For

example, currently our best-selling glass lines are

the Clear, Obscure and Stain ranges, so we’ve


boosted stock of these. But we’re also flexible and

can increase or reduce the stock of certain items

depending on how popular they are.

Full service

Beyond the glass itself, customers rely on DoorCo

for complex glazing too. Our prepping division,

which includes our dedicated bespoke glazing

service, is seeing consistent double-digit growth

month on month. In fact, a third of all our prepped

doors are now sold with glass making it an

integral part of our business.

Day in day out, our experienced glazing team

are fulfilling complex orders for the more

contemporary and bespoke designs, where we can

offer the craftsmanship and skills required for say,

the Inox cassettes, or to support volume production

outsourced to us by customers.

The DoorCo team is renowned for working hard

on behalf of our customers to continue to expand

and improve our range of products and services

and offer the best products, delivered JIT with

the benchmark levels of service on which our

customers now rely. This is a commitment we will

build on during 2020 and the Decorative Glass

Additions range is just the first step.

With a multitude of glass designs, decorative

glass can allow homeowners to personalise their

homes effortlessly, from options to suit grained

traditional doors, grained contemporary doors,

smooth contemporary doors and the additional

choice now of matching sidelight glass.

Contact DoorCo

www.doorco-com

@DOORCO_Official


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 31

Article Door Access

A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Ian Searle, managing director at MI Products, explores why the demand for accessible

entrances and low, seamless thresholds is more prevalent than ever.

In 2015, the government vowed to build one

million homes by the end of 2020. It’s already

happening, you just have to take a drive

around your local area and you’ll see half a dozen

new-build estates in the making. We know we

need more homes to cater for the growing UK

population, and new-build homes need to be built

fully compliant and meet all of the necessary

Building Regulations.

One of the requirements for new-builds is step

free accessibility, covered by Building Regulations

Approved Document Part M.

Part M states that new dwellings need to be more

easily accessed with low, compact and seamless

thresholds, no higher than 15mm. This makes

entering and exiting the home easier, which is

vital for ease of wheelchair access and for those

with limited mobility.

Not just entrance doors

It’s not just entrance doors that need to be

accessible. Double doors, like French doors, or

widespan doors such as bi-fold and sliding doors

require wide accesses and low thresholds too,

helping homeowners to enjoy their garden.

It’s important to remember that low threshold

doors and easy access isn’t just necessary for

new-builds and those with limited mobility. Just

as there’s a continuous pipeline of new-build

projects, there are always homeowners looking to

extend or improve their home.

It seems that almost all new extensions come

with a new set of widespan doors – with bi-folds

being the top choice.

People enjoy the wider entrances to the outdoors

that bi-folds provide, as they can effortlessly step

out into the garden and enjoy it as one with the

rest of their home.

Genuine Part M 15mm

FX15 threshold

Step-free access means homeowners can whiz in

and out of their homes with ease, merging their

living spaces. It also means they won’t have to worry

about children tripping over or spilling any food or

drinks when moving from indoors and outdoors.

To blend the indoors and outdoors, widespan

doors need to be an effortless feature, free

from any steps. It’s the things like this that

homeowners look for when creating their new

feature glazing.

This gives the industry more opportunities to meet

homeowner demands, and installers need to be

certain that they can deliver accessible entrances

for new-build developments and can deliver fast

and simple adaptations for retrofit properties, as

well as provide homeowners with the seamless

widespan glazing and garden access they are

looking for.

SBD FX15 low threshold

That’s why we developed step free FX15, the

genuine Part M low threshold.

FX15, which can be fitted to composite doors,

single doors and French style double doors, meets

Building Regulations and the Lifetime Homes

standard with a truly compact 15mm upstand,

enabling easy entrances and exits.

To help reduce lead times, which is needed for

both new-build projects and homeowners who

want quick turnarounds, FX15 can be volume fitted

as standard, as it’s supplied fully prepped and prepacked

and can be fixed using just two screws.

Whether new-build or extensions, everyone likes

the benefit of step free access and with the FX15,

your installers can deliver this for homeowners.

“Step free accessibility

is a requirement for

new-builds

Contact MI Products

02476 305 943

www.miproducts.co.uk

@miproductscovll


Article Smart Door Locking

SMART LOCKING COMES KNOCKING

Lisa Sturrock, of Abacus Agents, talks about how the company has welcomed the Kubu

Equipped Door Lock to its range, as Scotland’s only supplier of the innovative smart lock.

After more than 28 years distributing

window and door hardware to the glazing

industry, we were ready to add something

different to our product portfolio, so when Kubu

came calling, we answered.

Smart has been around in the industry for years,

but never really took off as it was too niche and

expensive, eliminating most of the mass market.

Now that the industry is ready, Kubu is the ideal

choice for selling in volume as it’s simple, unique,

affordable and puts the customer first.

We like that the Kubu lock offers something

different. A lot of our customers are looking

for smart door lock technology and the Kubu

Equipped Door Lock can be fitted as standard in

every door.

Offering customers a complete package is really

important to us, which is why we like that Avantis

own the Kubu technology and app.

Once we decided to take the smart lock on, we

received exemplary support from Avantis.

“The Kubu Equipped

Door Lock can be fitted

as standard in every

door”

As Abacus are a family-run business, we’ve

always liked that Avantis are too, with Mark,

Lauren and Ryan Bromley working together.

Charlotte, customer service manager, also works

really well in the team and they’re always on the

end of the phone for anything we need.

As well as the on-site set ups, we have received

marketing and social media support for ourselves

and our customers.

So far, we have two customers using Kubu as

standard and we’ll soon be switching as standard

to all. We’ve switched three showrooms over to

be Kubu equipped, and have three lined up in the

next few months.

As the sole Scottish distributor of Kubu, we fully

expect it to do well in the marketplace and we’ve

received a fantastic response so far.

One of our Kubu Equipped customers is Precision

Windows and we’re really looking forward to

supplying the Kubu Equipped Door Lock to them,

after receiving such great feedback from them.

John Cassidy, managing director at Precision

Windows, has told us that the Kubu smart lock

could be a phenomenal product that will make

a massive difference to Precision. It means they

can offer something unique.

And that’s what it’s all about right now –

selecting the right products to differentiate

yourself from the rest of the market and doing

smart the right way.

What is a Kubu Equipped Lock?

Every Kubu Equipped Door Lock will be fitted

with electronic components, giving homeowners

the option to purchase a Kubu Home

Hub and Module, making their door smart.

Homeowners will be able to check the status

of their doors, receive real-time notifications,

set schedules, share doors with friends and

family, and get notified as they leave their

home – all through an app on their phone.

A user-friendly, cost-effective smart home

tech solution that adds value, Kubu is

designed to ensure homeowners will never

have to worry if their door is unlocked again.

Contact Kubu

01889 579364

kubu-home.com

@KubuSmartLock


Don’t miss out...

FABRICATORS

FORUM 2020

16 JUNE - BIRMINGHAM

The future of

energy savings

New licence

opportunities

Testing and

certification

Expert advice for

fabricators and

simulators

Panel

discussions

BFRC Fabricators Forum, 16 June 2020

Join us at Birmingham City Football Club

The BFRC Fabricators Forum is for the whole

industry, but we’ve designed it to be particularly of

interest to fabricators and technical departments

throughout the glass and glazing industry.

When manufacturing, installing or choosing

windows or doors, remember that invisible

performance matters and only a BFRC rating can be

truly trusted to prove it.

Tickets to the event are free though numbers are

limited and we expect places to fill up quickly, so

don’t wait around and risk missing out!

BFRC is the UK’s most trusted rating council for

verifying the energy performance of windows and

doors.

Get tickets now at fabforum2020.eventbrite.co.uk

Door Updates

6 Day Doors, the latest venture from the Essex-based Chigwell Group, promises

to deliver market-leading aluminium bi-fold doors in under a week.

The company is offering Smart Visofold 1000 bi-fold in grey, white and black in six

days, with other colours available on a longer lead time.

Explaining how 6 Day Doors have managed to commit to such a short lead time,

managing director Sunny Singh said: “Frankly, I think the industry has got used to

having to wait nearly three weeks for aluminium doors, and so no-one’s felt the need

to invest and speed that process up.

“What we’ve done is simple. Using the resources and expertise of the wider Chigwell

Group, we’ve acquired some cutting-edge machinery and manned it with some

For further info on all these door updates and more, visit www.total-fabricator.co.uk

6 DAY DOORS VENTURE LAUNCHED

experienced and highly motivated fabricators. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s not hugely complex either – if you’ve got the willpower to do it, it can be done.”

The company is offering other products on longer lead-times, including the Smart Visofold 6000 bi-fold and Visoglide Plus patio door. www.6daydoors.co.uk

NEW COASTLINE BROCHURE FROM VBH

Hardware specialist VBH has created a new six-page brochure to help explain the benefits of

its greenteQ Coastline range of stainless steel entrance door furniture.

The range includes pull handles, lever and knob handle sets, letterboxes, door knockers and butt

hinges, all in hard wearing stainless steel. All products are available in brushed stainless steel, with

the levers, knockers and letterboxes also available in polished stainless and PVD gold finishes.

Coastline lever handle sets, letterboxes and knockers are interchangeable with their counterparts

in VBH’s standard greenteQ Suite of door, window and patio furniture so it is easy for fabricators to

upgrade to stainless steel, with its 25 year surface guarantee, when required. vbhgb.com

VBH has created a new six-page brochure to explain the

benefits of its greenteQ Coastline entrance door furniture.

VISTA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SUCCESS

Composite door manufacturer and PVC-U panel supplier,

Vista, is celebrating its 25th birthday in 2020.

Composite door manufacturer and PVC-U panel supplier, Vista, is celebrating its 25th

birthday this year.

Vista has been supplying fabricators across the UK and Europe since 1995 and the Wirral-based

company is one of the longest standing infill panel manufacturers. In the composite door market

Vista offers the XtremeDoor, one of the most high-performance composite doors available.

Vista’s managing director, Keith Sadler, said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to all our past

and present customers for the last 25 years and we’re looking forward to building on what we have

achieved so far and enjoying even more success going forward.” www.vistapanels.co.uk

HARDWARE MEETS FD60 FIRE SPEC

Committed to improving fire safety in all buildings, Yale Door and Window Solutions has successfully

tested a number of its products to meet the FD60 fire door specification.

The FD60 specification tests doorsets to withstand at least 60 minutes protection against fires. Yale’s

AutoEngage multi-point door lock, KM TS007 1-star Cylinder, TS008 letterplate and TS007 2-star handle were

collectively fitted and tested on a 54mm door with Lorient’s intumescent seal, passing the test requirements of

BS 476-22:1987 and exceeding the FD60 time test by an additional 25%.

This doorset assembly now allows architects, specifiers and OEMs to be FD60-compliant, helping to defend

buildings against the spread of fire. www.yaledws.co.uk


NEW FIRE DOOR RANGE

The Aperture Group has launched its range of Warden Fire Doors – one of the most extensively tested ranges on the market.

Robin Baker, managing director of the core Aperture Business, explained: “We understand the crucial role our products play in

protecting residents once installed, which is why we have engineered our timber fire door range to hold full test 2018/19 reports.

Our doors have been through a rigorous testing regime and now hold full Certifire third-party accreditation.

“The Warden Fire Doors range has been developed to fully comply with EN:1634-1 and BS 476: Part 22 standards, but we haven’t

stopped there. Our FD30S door sets have been engineered so that they don’t just perform to the expected 30-minute fire rating, but

consistently exceed it. They have been fully furnace tested on both sides and fully smoke tested to European standards.

“Critically, we’ve also tested door sets with the viewer, letterplate and handle as standard – leaving no room for error on critical

parts of the door that can often lead to failure. Customers have also highlighted to us their requirement for more glass options on fire

doors, so we’ve successfully tested the doors with sidelight and decorative combinations too.

“Our industry has had to up the ante when it comes to fire doors to ensure we have products that are truly fit for purpose moving

forward.” www.aperture-trading.com

NEW PRODUCTS ON THE WAY FROM DOORCO

Having joined DoorCo last year, Mark Towers, senior production Mark Towers

and technical manager, has been working to further streamline

and strengthen the production heart of the business, ready for

the launch of some new products in the next few months.

Mark said: “My original brief on joining DoorCo was to drive

through production improvement projects, build the skill base of

our supervisors and managers and implement new processes and

procedures to ultimately, with controlled investment, increase the

capacity and efficiencies through the factory.

“Even for a well-established and lean organisation like DoorCo,

reviews like this are always important, especially in a fast-growth

business. But when I learned about the new products that are

coming on-line this year, the significance grew. I can’t go into

detail about the product launches, but let’s just say, having the right people with the right skills in the right positions will be critical to achieve our

aggressive goals. We have now done this, in part thanks to DoorCo already having invested heavily to future proof its production.

“The next steps for me are to empower the team to take responsibility and be able to make the decisions that increase volumes, add new products

and allow the business to continue to grow. Each team leader will be fully autonomous in their own area. They will be the decision makers and promote

process improvement projects to allow the business to continue to grow.

“I’m genuinely excited about what DooRCO is launching in the coming months, and can’t wait to see the positive impact we will have on market choice

and added value opportunities for our customers.” www.door-co.com

VBH has expanded the greenteQ Coastline range of

stainless steel pull handles with two Oval profile designs.

OVAL PULL HANDLES ADD STYLE

Hardware specialist VBH has expanded the greenteQ Coastline range of stainless steel pull

handles with the addition of two new Oval profile designs.

Offering an attractive alternative to the standard circular profile pulls that are very popular on

contemporary entrance doors, the Oval pulls are manufactured from hard-wearing grade 304

austenitic brushed stainless steel and, as with all the products in the Coastline range, benefit from

VBH’s 25 Year Coastline guarantee. There are Straight and Offset options. The Offset version’s bar is

mounted on angled legs to offset the pull handle by 72mm from the fixing points. vbhgb.com


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 37

Skills & Training

OPERATORS: GET INTO TRAINING!

With the spotlight on skills, Wayne Hunter, service and operations manager at Emmegi

(UK), explains why investing in training your machine operators pays dividends.

T

he fenestration industry has finally woken

up to the looming skills shortage. The

combination of an ageing workforce, a post

Brexit migrant labour market and competition

from sectors which are perceived as being a bit

more exciting has definitely focused minds and

already triggered some impressive responses.

Worthwhile apprenticeship schemes are

becoming a reality across lots of businesses

now as they face the challenge of bringing in and

training their own youngsters, and campaigns

like Building Our Skills are doing a pretty good job

promoting the need for training and upskilling of

the existing workforce.

As a machinery supplier, we are 100% supportive

of this renewed focus on training in our industry

“Cutting corners on

training is very much a

false economy”

because we see the benefits, particularly on the

factory floor, that a better trained workforce can

deliver in terms of efficiency and payback.

The majority of machinery investment is

obviously driven by a desire for increased

capacity and greater productivity, and

advances by the likes of Emmegi are

increasingly focused around reducing the

manpower required in a factory. However,

while most machines can now be operated by

fewer, generally less skilled operators, I would

argue that the single most important factor in

maximising the performance of those machines

remains the level of training provided.

We see all the time how much more quickly

fabricators see payback on their new machine if

their team are able to operate it to its maximum

potential. That means understanding all the

features which prompted fabricators to choose

that model in the first place and learning how to

optimise its speed and capacity.

Training and advice at TWR

An excellent example of that recently was at TWR

Group in County Durham, where we had installed

a new Quadra L1 machining centre in July 2019.

When TWR contacted Emmegi (UK) with a series

of queries on the machine, we despatched two of

our engineers to review how it was being operated

and to provide training and advice.

They instructed the team at TWR on positioning of

the gripper height and clamp setting adjustment

to avoid lengths from being cut incorrectly and

discussed how to maximise the infeed magazine

capacity so that batching and sub-batching of

jobs is more efficient. As a result, TWR is happy

that its Quadra is now running ‘faster and better’

and delivering an improved return on investment.

It’s not just about customers getting the best

value that they can from their machinery though,

it is also about training to prevent unnecessary

machine breakdowns. Certainly, I’ve known

cases where our engineers have gone into a

customer to fix a problem only to discover that

what the customer is reporting as an alarm on the

machine is actually an error message because it

hasn’t been set up correctly. I’ve also known of

occasions where engineers have gone in to find


MACHINERY

that customers can’t get a particular machine

function to work, only to find that they have

inadvertently disabled it. That’s a costly waste of

time for everyone, and we are now encouraging

customers to send us videos of faults like this so

that we can diagnose in advance.

Those occasions are rare of course, but I don’t

think there is any doubt that cutting corners on

training is very much a false economy.

Obviously, we train operatives when we install

and commission a machine for a customer. But

what we see all too often is that when those

operatives leave or move around, customers are

reluctant to invest in another round of training,

so rely on the person leaving to pass on what

they know. Almost invariably, that means that the

detail of what they originally learned is diluted

or it is passed on incorrectly. The result is a less

efficient operation or, even worse, a potentially

very expensive breach in health and safety.

Bespoke training

What I would like to see is customers taking

advantage of the bespoke training packages we

can put together for them, where we look at the

skills set available within their factories and tailor

a programme around that. The aim is to ensure

that they have the skills across the operation

which are necessary to get the most from their

machines, and that they aren’t left high and dry in

the future when someone moves on.

“There is a huge

amount of specialist

training available now

for companies who

have recognised the

benefits it can bring”

In spite of this industry’s poor track record,

there is actually a huge amount of specialist

training available now for companies who have

recognised the benefits it can bring. As well as

the dedicated training organisations, systems

and software houses are all stepping up to meet

their obligations and, like Emmegi, are putting

the message out to customers that they will get

better return on their investment if they embed

the necessary skills within their team. At Emmegi

(UK), we now have a team of seven engineers

who can go to visit customers on-site and deliver

on-site training specifically dedicated to their

machinery set ups. We know that customers will

see the benefits.

We practice what we preach as well of

course. Each of those engineers has their own

personalised training schedule in place to ensure

that their skills are kept up to date and that they

can work across our entire range. We send our

engineers to Emmegi’s head office in Italy for a

week at a time for standard and advanced level

training on our CNC machines and electronic

saws and for dedicated training on the Tekna

machines which Emmegi also supplies. And,

because of the scale of Emmegi, these courses

run frequently throughout the year so that we

don’t have more than one engineer out on training

at any one time.

We can also offer bespoke training packages to

customers at any point after a machine has been

purchased.

Contact Emmegi

02476 676192

www.emmegi.com

CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN FEB/MAR 2020 T F 39

Article Software Support

HARD FACTS FOR SOFTWARE

Dean Hodges, managing director at BM Aluminium, outlines the advice and

support available when it comes to installing CNC machinery and software.

O

ver the course of 2019, we saw a 20%

increase in the number of customers

installing LogiKal CNC links with us,

bringing the total number of machine links we

have completed in the UK to somewhere over 130.

Last year, many of the links were for fabricators

getting into the aluminium market for the first

time, but most were existing LogiKal users who

were looking to automate more of their processes,

either to increase their efficiency or in response to

the current shortage of skilled CNC operators.

MACHINERY

The aim for many, of course, is to de-skill the

operator role as much as they can, so that less

training and experience is required on the shop

floor, and that makes perfect sense given that

the skills shortage is probably most acute in

fabrication.

The growth in spending has obviously been great

news for machinery and software companies

and BM Aluminium had another record year in

2019. But, my sense last year was that too many

fabricators were still ordering new machines

without consulting us at all beforehand. We are

entirely independent and have absolutely no

vested interest in promoting one machine or

machinery company over another, but we are

vastly experienced in setting up CNC machines

and we know that our help and advice can be

really valuable to fabricators of any size.

We are definitely not looking to encroach upon our

customers’ own territories; we are simply keen to

demonstrate how they can get more value from

us as their software partner and benefit from our

free, independent advice.

Dan Hodges and Perry Mace, our implementation

managers, are now a formidable team when it

comes to installing software. When customers

involve us in the decision making process early

on, Dan and Perry can visit them, talk about what

they are looking to achieve and then recommend the

best options to suit their specific factory set ups.

As well as ensuring that the installation of any

machine they do choose is properly scheduled and

coordinated so that we are primed and ready to

organise the software links as soon as it is installed,

they can also ensure that customers are fully

informed if they are thinking of ordering a machine

which we can’t actually link to in LogiKal yet.

False economy

With several newer, largely budget entrants

coming into the machinery sector now, we

have had a couple of occasions recently where

fabricators have been disappointed to learn that

the lower purchase cost might actually turn out to

be a false economy.

As the trend towards automated CNC links

looks set to continue into 2020, we have

recently reviewed the set up package we offer to

customers and are now offering both standard

and added-value options. The standard option

gives customers two days of onsite installation

support from a BM Aluminium technician, while

the added-value alternative replaces the second

day onsite with an extended remote session a

week or so later. With a remote session priced at

20% of the cost of an onsite installation day, this

represents a significant saving for fabricators.

The main reason for introducing the second

remote training day was because it gives

fabricators the chance to work with the machine

for a few days and draw up their own list of

niggles and queries which we can then resolve

for them either on the phone or via TeamViewer

once they are up and running. It’s an efficient

way of doing things and the fact that it works out

cheaper is an added bonus.

Dean Hodges (pictured top) says

customers can benefit from BM

Aluminium’s free, independent advice.

Whichever option suits customers best, we can

provide advice and support throughout the process.

Contact BM Aluminium

01684 856920

www.bmaluminium.co.uk

@BMAluminium


SMR-5

THE FASTEST AND MOST ACCURATE

WELDER ON THE MARKET TODAY!

1 x Quad Welder = 1 x Square every 2 minutes

Total per week = 1,200 squares

1 x SMR-5 Welder = 4 x Squares every 4 minutes

Total per week = 2,400 squares

1 x SMR-5 Welder = 1 Complete Window every 4 minutes

Total per week = 600 Windows

Sums it up nicely!

For fast precision manufacturing take a closer

look at the SMR-5 Welder from Haffner Murat today!

The Accolade Building,

Common Road, Stafford,

Staffordshire, ST16 3EQ

Tel 01785 222421

Machinery Updates

MACHINERY

For further info on all these machinery updates visit www.total-fabricator.co.uk

TEKNA 743 'FIRST'

Limerick-based fabricator of windows, doors, structural glazing and façade

systems, Curran Aluminium, has just become the first company in Ireland to

install a Tekna 743 vacuum clamping 3 axis machining centre from Emmegi,

giving it the ability to machine its own flat sheets and flashings in-house for

the first time.

Previously, Curran bought in machined sheet for its fenestration solutions, but has now

been able to end this reliance on third party machining, successfully integrating the process into its own factory.

The Tekna 743 works by positioning sheet panels on a 6,400mm x 2,000mm worktable topped with air-porous Forex material. Vacuum technology sited

underneath the table clamps the panels securely to it, creating a stable and unobstructed work area for machining across the whole panel or in pre-defined

sections. Drilling, milling and cutting are carried out via a 12 or 19-piece onboard tool magazine, powered by a 10kW 24,000 rpm spindle.

The Curran factory already features, for example, Emmegi Precision TS2 and Combi Electra saws, Emmegi Phantomatic X4 machining centres and ancillary

machines such as crimpers, notching saws, end millers and tape machines which are proven in use. www.emmegi.com

£250K LISEC INVESTMENT

Sash window manufacturer, Victorian Sliders, has invested more than half a million pounds

in sealed unit production with the acquisition of a £250,000 Lisec fully-automated sealed unit

line, significantly expanding its glass capacity.

Andy Jones, group managing director, said: “With the Lisec machine, we’re now able to produce

more sealed units, more efficiently – something that will prove vital as we seek to ramp up our

volumes in the year ahead.”

Victorian Sliders has invested more than £10m in the last five years, acquiring an extensive range of

state-of-the-art cutting, welding, cleaning and extrusion equipment. www.victoriansliders.co.uk

NEW KIT INCREASES CAPACITY

Composite door supplier, Vista, has completed the next phase of its investment strategy with

two new machine centres.

The Wirral-based company has invested in a new SCM CNC machine centre, which will add 30%

more capacity on a single shift, and a new Stuga machine centre, which will double frame capacity.

According to Vista, the investment is partly in response to an increased demand for new-build doors.

Ian Smith, Vista’s business development and marketing manager, said: “We are always striving to

meet increased demand while maintaining our high standards of quality, and adding our new SCM

CNC and Stuga machines will help us to continue to do this.” www.vistapanels.co.uk

SOFTWARE IMPROVES EFFICIENCY

Glass processor and IGU manufacturer, Specialist Glass Products, has reported significant

efficiency gains through investment in order processing and optimisation software from Clear

Thinking Software.

Glass Office has been designed to support management of the complete order process from

quote and through production, while glass optimiser tool, GlasSave is designed to work with a wide

range of glass cutting tables, helping to maximise outputs from 3210 x 2250/2550mm sheets as

well as full jumbo 6000 x 3210mm sheets, creating clear cutting plans based on daily production

requirements. www.clearthinkingsoftware.co.uk


Hall 3A Stand 3A-305

Fensterbau 2020

LEADING PLAYERS, NEW PRODUCTS

& SYSTEMS AND SO MUCH MORE...

Total Fabricator talks to Elke Harreiß, Director FENSTERBAU FRONTALE, to find out what

visitors can expect at this year’s event and hears why a trip to Nuremberg Exhibition Centre

will be well worth it this March 18-21...

1Why should British window and door

fabricators visit Fensterbau? Only at

FENSTERBAU FRONTALE do window,

door and façade manufacturers, architects,

metalworkers, carpenters and the trade receive

a unique market overview; they will not only find

all the components they need to manufacture

windows, doors and facades themselves, such

as machines and tools, fittings, adhesives,

glass or shading elements, but they can also

buy finished products, i.e. windows, doors,

gates, canopies or conservatories. The fair

regularly receives excellent ratings in exhibitor

and visitor surveys; at the last event, 98% of

the exhibitors reached their most important

target groups, 95% of the visitors were satisfied

with the range of products and services on

offer. In 2020, FENSTERBAU FRONTALE is once

again expecting around 800 exhibitors and, in

conjunction with HOLZ-HANDWERK, a trade fair

for secondary woodworking held at the same

time, around 111,000 visitors – almost half of

them international.

2

Do you think Fensterbau will be

still be as relevant to the UK after

Brexit? FENSTERBAU FRONTALE is the

world’s leading trade fair for window, door and

facade construction. All major international

manufacturers exhibit every two years at

Nuremberg Exhibition Centre and adapt their

product innovation cycles to the cycle of

FENSTERBAU FRONTALE. I invite all guests from

the UK not to miss this unique meeting place for

the sector to cultivate contacts, establish new

business relations and find out about trending

topics. For companies from the UK, the need to

exhibit at international trade fairs to strengthen

exports could even increase after Brexit.

Elke Harreiß, Director FENSTERBAU FRONTALE.

3

Have you noticed an impact on British

exhibitor or visitor numbers following

Britain’s decision to leave the EU? In

fact, during the last few editions of FENSTERBAU

FRONTALE we recorded a constant slight increase

from the UK, both in terms of exhibitors and

visitors. In 2018, our exhibitors came from 42

and visitors from 116 countries – the UK regularly

ranks among the top 20 in both groups. The UK

is an important market for NürnbergMesse. Some


10,500 visitors and over 760 exhibitors from

Great Britain and Northern Ireland took part in

the events in the Exhibition Centre in 2018. In

our international country ranking for the venue,

exhibitors from Great Britain and Northern Ireland

are therefore in 4th place, visitors in 8th place.

4

Can you tell us about the Fensterbau

UK Pavilion? The British pavilion will

be held for the fourth time in 2020. It is

organised by the Glass and Glazing Federation

(GGF) and will once again be located in Hall 4A.

On an area of around 80 square metres, the

seven participants will have a good opportunity to

represent their country and the local industry in

Germany. Anyone wishing to obtain information

in advance and prepare for their visit to the trade

fair can also filter by country of origin in our

exhibitor and product database at www.frontale.

de/en/ausstellerprodukte.

5

What are the biggest industry issues in

focus at Fensterbau 2020? Topics that

move the industry include sustainability,

energy efficiency, digitalisation and automation,

living comfort and design. FENSTERBAU

FRONTALE’s extensive programme of lectures

and specialist events provides an insight into

these current industry topics and the opportunity

to gain knowledge. Architects and planners, for

example, will be meeting for the 10th time at the

Architecture-Window-Facade Forum with this year’s

focus on “Compression”, where the focus will be

on building in urban conurbations. A new special

presentation area with workshops and discussion

rounds will provide tips on how digitalisation can

be successfully implemented in craft businesses.

A special show in cooperation with the German

testing institute ift Rosenheim also deals with the

digitalisation of window construction under the title

“Fenestration Digital”. This year, the FENSTERBAU

FRONTALE FORUM will deal with topics such as the

use of daylight, tips for tradesmen, age-appropriate

living, ventilation or plastic windows in half-day

thematic blocks. There will also be theme-specific

Images courtesy of NürnbergMesse.

“Technical lectures

and workshops also

offer the opportunity

to take away practical

ideas for their daily

work”

tours through the exhibition halls, for example on

topics such as installation technology and window

production, building access, security technology

and burglary protection, smarthomes, innovative

window constructions and many more. You will find

an overview at https://www.frontale.de/en/events.

6

What sets Fensterbau apart from other

international window and door industry

trade fairs? What can UK fenestration

fabricators find at Fensterbau that they won’t

find elsewhere? FENSTERBAU FRONTALE is

distinguished by the combination of the exhibition

and a specialist programme. Here, visitors will

not only find the latest innovations from the global

industry leaders, who come to Nuremberg with

their global sales teams and invite customers from

all over the world to present their products and

solutions with impressive stand constructions,

technical lectures and workshops also offer the

opportunity to take away practical ideas for their

daily work. FENSTERBAU FRONTALE always has its

finger on the pulse of the industry – we integrate

innovative formats, such as a hackathon in 2020, in

which challenges from the window, door and facade

sector are mastered with agile working methods.

FENSTERBAU FRONTALE is also distinguished by

its association with HOLZ-HANDWERK. Together the

two trade fairs have around 1,300 exhibitors with

around 100,000 square metres of stand space.

A ticket for one trade fair also entitles the holder

to admission to the other event. Exhibitors and

visitors benefit from the thematic synergies that

arise. I would be very pleased to welcome you, dear

readers, here with us in historic Nuremberg!

Contact FENSTERBAU FRONTALE

https://www.frontale.de/en/events

@fensterbau


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 45

Top Five

HARDWARE'S FAB FIVE

John Mitchell, technical manager at Carl F Groupco, highlights

the top five facets of a hardware distribution organisation that

the company feels are key to supporting fabricators.

HARDWARE & ACCESSORIES

1

Consultancy service:

To have a true fabricator focus, it is

essential that your distributor provides a

full service. We appreciate that invariably there

will be time pressures relating to your order.

Additionally, consideration needs to be given to

your customer’s requirements and the project’s

overall objectives. As such, it is essential that

your hardware distributor doesn’t just stock and

ship products, you need your supplier to go the

extra mile with advice and industry knowledge.

A distributor needs to be a lot more than merely

a warehouse – we recommend that you look for a

consultancy service with experienced staff who are

prepared to support you over the phone or on-site.

2

Product advice and technical

support:

A good hardware distributor will

demonstrate strong partnerships with its

manufacturer suppliers. Look for product training

programmes provided by the distributor for all

staff that interact with customers – we believe

“It is essential that your

hardware supplier is

aware of regulations”

that it shouldn’t only be field personnel that

are educated in the products we supply, we

ensure that personnel in every department are

knowledgeable about all of our ranges. Close

manufacturer relationships ensure that we are

fully trained in all the products we supply – if

we can’t immediately answer a question, we get

answers rapidly from our partners.

3

Wide ranging advice including

standards:

It is essential that your hardware

supplier is aware of regulations, standards and

legislation to understand the implications and

to be in a position to share the most effective

means of compliance. We are well versed in

the methods of testing and we work with our

customers, hardware manufacturers and profile

manufacturers to assist with testing needs.

Security standards, such as PAS 24, TS 007 and

TS 008, evolve rapidly and it is important that

customers are advised on correct hardware to

ensure their windows and doors are compliant

and that they pass security tests.

4

An extensive product range:

At Carl F Groupco we know that, when it

comes to hardware, choice is a primary

consideration – time is of the essence and

you need a one-stop-shop. With one of the

industry’s most comprehensive ranges, we offer

over 7,000 product lines. Sourcing only the best

hardware from leading manufacturers, over £3

million worth of stock is held to ensure a rapid

response. Combined, our warehouses hold almost

1.9 million components, which facilitates the

despatch of around 3,000 orders per month.

5

Delivery reliability:

None of the above is relevant if your

distributor doesn’t commit to an ‘on time

in full’ delivery philosophy. Excellent advice, an

approachable, expert team and extensive choice

means nothing if you can’t order in confidence –

this is a key service that should be provided by

any good hardware supplier.

When it comes to window and door fittings,

Carl F Groupco is well placed to support and

advise fabricators. With distribution centres in

Peterborough and Cumbernauld, the company

serves the fabrication industry across the UK

and Ireland, including the Scottish Highlands

and offshore islands.

Practical, proactive support with a fabricator focus is offered by Carl F Groupco.

Contact Carl F Groupco

01733 393330

www.carlfgroupco.co.uk

@Carl_F_Groupco


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Smart Hardware


A LICENCE TO BE SMART

Smart windows and doors are a mass opportunity for the hardware sector, but the way

these products are sold requires a step-change in our thinking. Giovanni Laporta, innovator

and inventor of Smart Ready, explains more...

How many of you reading this are doing so

on devices running Windows or macOS,

protected with Norton or Kaspersky antivirus

software; or maybe you’re using Survey

Monkey for your latest marketing campaign? Who

is going home tonight to watch the latest mustsee

on Netflix or Prime Film? Call it licensing fees,

subscriptions or even membership, most of us

now engage with technology providers using a

retainer model to pay them for their technology.

It’s a $270bn industry. So why when it comes to

fenestration can licensing technology feel such an

alien concept?

Consistent quality

To date, the window and door hardware sector

has been promoting different products that claim

to be smart in different ways, but there has been

little or no consistency in the smart message,

leading to confusion in the market. That’s why

Smart Ready was created – to provide a standard

for everyone to adhere to, and a brand logo that

represents simple, affordable, consistency in what

smart should actually be.

But while we all accept it’s the norm to pay a

licence to be able to use someone else’s product

or service when it comes to software or TV, the

window and door hardware market is taking time

to adjust. Sometimes a licence fee can feel like

you’re paying for nothing, because you don’t have

anything tangible to show for your investment. But

in reality, the benefits of being a licensee are vast.

Let someone else do the work for you

Firstly, becoming a licensee means you can offer

a product or service without having to invest in

your own research and development – the most

lengthy and expensive phase of any new offering.

R&D might not sound like much, but, for example,

the monitoring sensors developed by Hug

Technology took four years and cost more than £5

million to develop. By entering into a technology

license with Hug Technology, hardware brands

and their customers can have a product that has

had this amount of investment, for significantly

reduced investment and also have access to

ongoing support and upgrades in technology. The

planned significant consumer marketing of the

Smart Ready standard will also be a critical driver

for its success, so again technology licensees

can take advantage of these bigger budgets with

bigger reach.

Licensing also saves companies time. Anyone

that wants a slice of the smart window and door

hardware market today but hasn’t yet started

their R&D or marketing, won’t be ready to launch

a product for at least three years, at least not one

that works reliably and meets market expectations.

Smart minds

Even if a business does decide to spend the time

and money developing its own offering to avoid

paying a license fee to someone else, they won’t

necessarily be able to find the right expertise

to develop the right product. Hug Technology,

for example, was lucky enough to find a unique

mix of creative experience from sectors such

as hardware, window and door fabrication, and

smart technology, to enable a great product that

is simple and works.

Buying a technology licence for smart hardware

may well take some getting used to, but the

market is entering a new phase which needs

a new approach. It goes without saying the

hardware companies that accept change sooner

rather than later will have the competitive

advantage over those that don’t at all and those

that adopt the ‘wait and see’ approach.

The need for smart windows and doors took off

last year and technology licensing is the best

way for the market collectively to meet that

need quickly and easily. To move forward and

genuinely become a mass smart market, the

industry needs to accept an entirely different

model. It’s no longer only about sourcing best

value for money products; it’s also about securing

your place in something bigger.

Contact Smart Ready

smartready.com


Industry Leading

Hardware From

Carl F Groupco

First Class

Technical Support

£3 million stock

to support

98% OTIF

Supplying Hardware

Since 1950’s

24/7 Ordering

with MY CFG

Leading Hardware

Brands

Peterborough Head Office:

Cumbernauld Depot:

Carl F Groupco

contact information:

sales@carlfgroupco.co.uk

www.carlfgroupco.co.uk

Carl F Groupco Limited

Culley Court

Orton Southgate

Peterborough

PE2 6WA

t 01733 393330

f 01733 393336

Carl F Groupco Limited

33 Deerdykes View

Westfield Industrial Estate

Cumbernauld

G68 9HN

t 01236 721557

f 01236 721568

Fastener Technology

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME

Andy Holland, technical & marketing manager at UK Rapierstar, explores the latest

innovations in fastener development.

Innovation in the UK door and window sector is

thriving. Exciting developments in residential

aluminium systems, flush PVC-U casements

and solid roofs for conservatories are just some

of the innovations that look set to gain a strong

foothold in 2020, offering the domestic market

some new and premium quality options for home

improvements or new-build projects.

But in order to ensure end-users can reap

the maximum benefits from these advanced

products, it is vital to get their construction,

assembly and installation right – and that means

giving careful consideration to the fasteners used

in their manufacture.

Why fasteners are so important

Despite being the smallest components, fasteners

make a huge contribution to delivering windows

and doors that look superb and perform well for the

long term. Regardless of whether it’s a new window

or door system, or one that is well-established,

every fastener used must, at the very least:

• Be of a grade of metal that offers the

corrosion resistance needed for the location

of the installation

• Offer a secure attachment with good pullout

strength

• Enable the hardware to function as planned

for long-term hassle-free operation of the

window or door

Many of the latest window or door systems

incorporate fasteners that are already available,

but in some cases a bespoke fastener may

be required to deliver the best result. That’s

why fastener innovation must be ongoing,

continuously improving ‘standard’ products and

conceiving new fasteners to facilitate products

that drive the industry forward and open up new

sales opportunities for installers.

The good news is that fasteners are evolving all

the time, mirroring the very best innovations and

new product development across the sector.

“Digital technology

is now being applied

to design and test

fasteners”



“In some cases a

bespoke fastener may

be required to deliver

the best result”

The LFG is a low profile pan head fastener

used to attach friction stays on PVC-U frames,

which allows for more clearance between the

fastener head and opening sash.

Going digital

As with nearly every aspect of modern life, digital

technology is now being applied to design and

test fasteners. It means that the humble metal

fastener, with its origins at the beginning of

the industrial revolution, can now be precision

engineered virtually to achieve the most secure

fix within a finished window and door – taking

into account the materials used for the frame and

reinforcement, the hardware specification and the

application.

Key to this is the use of Solidworks advanced 3D

modelling CAD software, which allows fasteners

to be created and refined on-screen well before

any steps are taken to make physical prototypes. It

streamlines product development like never before

because the software is equipped to accurately

simulate physical screw behaviours, such as

kinematics, dynamics, stress and deflection, on a

complete window or door construction.

This means the all-important ‘what if?’ questions

can be asked at an early design stage, safe

in the knowledge that we will get some pretty

reliable answers. This saves time and money in

the product development process, significantly

reducing the number of prototype products that

need to be manufactured before the desired

design is achieved.

Digital engineered fasteners in action

Rapierstar is already digitally engineering

products and several new types of fasteners

have resulted. As such, fabricators are already

benefiting from fasteners designed using this new

process, one of the most significant of which is

the LFG.

The LFG is a low profile pan head fastener used

to attach friction stays on PVC-U frames, which

allows for more clearance between the fastener

head and opening sash. This reduces the risk of

the casement scraping or sticking during opening

and closing to achieve a more positive experience

for the end-user.

The development of the LFG included 3D

modelling which predicted how it would perform

in conjunction with a friction stay manufactured

by one of the market’s leading brands. The

physical result shows how beneficial this process

was in giving customers access to new products

that allow them to create better quality finished

products.

Supporting innovation

With an in-house technical and new product

development centre in Cheshire, Rapierstar works

extensively with fabricators, systems companies

and hardware manufacturers to give the market

access to fastener expertise which will optimise

the quality of their products. Contact Rapierstar

to arrange a technical consultation or access

Rapierstar’s technical resources.

Contact Rapierstar

01260 223311

www.rapierstar.com

@Rapierstar


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 51

Aluminium Hardware


BROADENING HORIZONS WITH ALI

Richard Fraser, Window Ware’s business development manager for aluminium &

commercial, explains how and why the hardware distributor has expanded its aluminium

offering in recent years.

It’s no secret that, during our 30+ years

in business, Window Ware has been more

commonly recognised as a specialist in PVC-U

window and door hardware. It’s not hard to see

why, when you consider PVC-U makes up a

large part of our business and we proudly boast

multidecade partnerships with both nationwide

PVC-U fabricators and respected brand partners.

While we’re incredibly proud of the reputation

we’ve built in PVC-U circles as a reliable and

knowledgeable supplier, it’s important to know

it’s not our only speciality. In fact, the Window

Ware team is just as passionate and just as

knowledgeable about aluminium hardware, and

they’ve been successfully supporting fabricators

in this sector for many years.

“When we say we offer

everything aluminium

fabricators need, we

truly mean it”

Our aim is to be a one-stop source where

fabricators can secure quality furniture and

fittings for both PVC-U and aluminium window

and door systems. By doing so, we can help

remove the hassle and headaches of dealing with

multiple suppliers, whether it’s niche product

manufacturers, smaller distributors or even the

systems houses themselves.

With all the right products under one roof, it

also means we can help reduce unnecessary

paperwork, extra shipments and increased

carriage costs – welcome news for production

managers struggling to stay on top of

overcomplicated supply chains.

To reaffirm our commitment to our

aluminium customers and to support the

growing number of PVC-U fabricators

diversifying into the material,

we set to work scaling up

our aluminium offering. That

process began in 2018 and

is still going strong today,

having brought on board

a wealth of new, relevant

products and a number

of new staff members to

bolster our renowned sales

and technical support.

Last year, we also became members

of the Council for Aluminium in Building

(CAB). This provides us with the perfect

forum to build and continually refresh

our specialist knowledge, as well as

help us keep customers up to date with

the latest news, trends and regulation

changes within the sector.

When we say we offer everything

Richard Fraser

aluminium fabricators need, we

truly mean it. Our range includes window

essentials such as handles, friction stays,

espag bars, folding openers, manual or automatic

gearing and trickle vents, as well as custommade

over-glass ventilators and glazed-in

louvres grilles.

We also offer every conceivable door fixture

whether that’s locks, cylinders, handles, hinges,

letter plates, bi-fold locks and gearing. In short,

we can provide everything fabricators need

for fully functioning doors that meet essential

accreditations such as PAS24, Secured by

Design, TS007 and TS008.

For fabricators who have

standardised on hardware from

specific manufacturers,

there’s even aluminiumcompatible

products

from all the industry’s

favourite brands

including Yale, Trojan,

Eurospec, G-U, Duco,

RW Simon, Securistyle,

Caldwell, Cotswold

Architectural Products, Omec

and many more.

To make it even easier for

aluminium fabricators to find

exactly what they need, we’ve

created a dedicated aluminium

e-catalogue. At over 100 pages,

the catalogue showcases our

unrivalled choice of hardware

and consumables specifically

designed for aluminium profiles.

As expected from an awardwinning

hardware distributor like

Window Ware, we pair our broad

range with a reliable and professional

service. Fabricators can buy with confidence

from a company that offers unrivalled ordering

flexibility with no minimum quantities, reliable

deliveries demonstrated by an ‘on-time, in-full’

(OTIF) score of 97.75% last year and proven

technical support from a talented team of exfitters,

ex-fabricators and industry experts.

Contact Window Ware

01234 242724

www.windowware.co.uk


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Hardware Updates


For further info on all these hardware updates and more, visit www.total-fabricator.co.uk

QUALITY LOCKED IN

Just a little over six months since Window

locks, it’ll be simple to upgrade our offering in

Ware became a distribution partner for

the future using the Smart-enabled Kubu locks,

Avantis Hardware and began stocking their

also from Avantis, which are just as easy to fit

multipoint door locks, the range is now flying

with standard routing prep and no wiring.”

off the shelf and becoming a fast favourite

with door manufacturers across the country.

Here’s what two fabricators had to say about

these powerhouse products…

Lock of choice

Paul Martin, operations director for

KwikFrames, a PVC-U door and window

specialist in Hull, agrees: “The Avantis door

Jake Stephens, director at Kent-based window

and door manufacturer, WinRem, thinks the

Avantis multipoint door lock is “fantastic”.

He goes on to explain: “We use Liniar profiles

lock just works.”

KwikFrames has been manufacturing

composite doors using Solidor slab and

Avantis locks, since March 2012.

to build our doors and primarily supply to the

trade and new-build sectors. Avantis door

locks meet all the latest building regulations,

plus Liniar recommend Avantis locks for Part Q

compliance, so it’s an obvious product choice

for us.

“We’ve tried using other door locks in the past,

but we kept having issues and getting call

backs, plus they were time-consuming to fit.

Paul says: “We’ve made a lot of doors in

those eight years and we’ve had only a couple

of lock failures, all of which were put right by

the hardware manufacturer straight away. The

Avantis multipoint door lock ticks all our boxes,

not least because it’s been part of Solidor’s

standard offering for years. It’s also very reliable,

easy to fit with plenty of adjustability, reasonably

priced and excellent value for money too.”

Above: Avantis multipoint door locks are available

now from hardware provider Window Ware.

Avantis advantages

Avantis multipoint door locks are available now

from hardware provider Window Ware. These

locking systems promise ‘industry-leading

fortifications and excellent seal compression’

H

It’s a different story with Avantis multipoint

locks. They go straight on the workbench

and work first time without fail. We never get

any questions or queries from our team of

fabricators and no one has come back to us

with a faulty lock yet.”

Jake and the team are already thinking ahead

to how Avantis locks can give WinRem the edge

over the competition. He says: “Because the

team are already familiar with fitting Avantis

Paul adds: “We’ve sourced our locks from

various suppliers in the past but switched to

Window Ware last year. The biggest benefit of

that move is that there is no minimum order

quantity. I order only what I need for the next

week’s production. That means I don’t have

to predict hardware usage and I can keep our

stockholding to a minimum while still being

able to offer our customers a broad choice of

hardware options to suit their needs.”

on PVC-U, composite and timber doors due to

their large opposing chamfered security hooks

and strong triangulated 25mm deep throw

centre deadbolt.

All variants are tested to PAS 24 and British

Standard BS6375, Secured by Design

accredited, corrosion-resistant to EN1670:

Grade 4 and promise a service life of over

50,000 cycles with a 10-year mechanical

guarantee. www.windowware.co.uk

Scott Law (left) MD of Express Trade Frames with George

Esler, Window Ware area sales manager.

21 YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP

Hardware distributor, Window Ware, is celebrating with long-standing customer, Express

Trade Frames, as its successful supply partnership reaches 21 years.

Since1999, Window Ware has supplied the Yale-approved fabricator with a full range of highsecurity

Yale and Trojan hardware which has ultimately helped to ensure that their extensive array of

PVC-U glazing products pass the latest PAS 24 testing.

Scott Law, managing director of Fleetwood based Express Trade Frames, said: “We are delighted to

be celebrating this fantastic milestone with the great team at Window Ware and we very much look

forward to further success over the next 21 years!” www.windowware.co.uk



NEXT GENERATION ESCAPE LOCKS

dormakaba has launched the latest generation of its SVP self-locking emergency escape locks.

The range is ideally suited for use on emergency exits and escape routes where doors requiring

access control can be balanced with safety in an emergency.

The SVP range of locks offers a number of different options from mechanical locking with emergency escape

function, to locks that also feature electronic access control and optional microswitch monitoring functions.

The SVP locks ensure security with two-point locking – deadbolt and clawbolt latch – engaged

automatically after closure. The emergency escape function means that the door can be opened at any

time in the exit direction by simply operating the lever handle or panic bar. The products are certified

and CE marked in accordance with both EN 179 and EN 1125 standards for emergency exits, in addition

they have been successfully type-tested for conformity to the requirements of EN 14846/EN 12209 and

are Certifire approved for use on fire doors* (please refer to the Certifire certificate for details of the

specific door type and locks approved) www.dormakaba.co.uk

ARDWARE & ACCESSORIES

NEW AGB TILT & TURN SYSTEM

Hardware specialist VBH (GB) has added a new tilt & turn system from Italian hardware

manufacturer, AGB, to its range of third-party branded products. ArTech gear is protected by the

Activeage finish that exceeds 2,000 hours neutral salt spray testing to EN ISO 9227, making it ideal

for coastal regions and areas with higher levels of pollution.

The ArTech system has been developed for fabrication lines of all sizes, and comes with various hinge

options including surface fit, rebated, jigless and the ‘Plana’ concealed hinge system. The gear is connected

via either a ‘Crop & Punch’ connection system, or ‘Crop & Cover’ connector plates, which enable manual

cropping of the hardware without the need to punch a hole in the cropped faceplate. vbhgb.com

700+ EXTRA PRODUCTS ON SHOW

Window Ware, the UK supplier of window and door hardware, factory tools, fixings and

consumables, has launched a brand-new product catalogue.

Featuring no less than 714 individual new items and as many as 30 new ranges added since the

last issue, the page count for this latest catalogue stands at 480, which is more than 150 pages or

around 30% more than the 2017/2018 issue. The catalogue’s new bi-fold door hardware section and

flourishing aluminium hardware range all aim to satisfy demand and serve growth areas in the market.

Window Ware says its ever-expanding product offering is all part of its mission to bring fabricators

and installers more choice than any other UK hardware distributor. www.windowware.co.uk

A SAFE GREENTEQ EXIT

Hardware specialist, VBH, has added Anti-Panic emergency exit and panic hardware to its

greenteQ range of products.

Manufactured in Italy, which is well known for its expertise in this sector, the range consists of panic

bolts and panic latches in cross-arm and push-pad versions, and is available from VBH stock in white

and silver finishes. Touch bars, mortice and electric devices, and other finishes, are all available on a

special order basis. greenteQ Anti-Panic devices are reversible, cutting down on a fabricator’s stock

holding and eliminating handling errors. All Anti-Panic bolts and latches are tested, certified and CE

marked to the relevant BS EN1125 or 179 standards. vbhgb.com


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 55

Part L 2020

DRIVING CHANGE IN THE

GLAZING SUPPLY CHAIN

Phil Brown, European regulatory marketing manager at Pilkington

United Kingdom, outlines how a shake up in energy efficiency

regulations is set to impact the glass and glazing supply chain.

The UK government has announced an

ambitious net-zero target to help drive

down greenhouse gases by 2050. Making

homes more energy efficient will play a vital role in

ensuring the UK stays on track in meeting this goal.

The built environment accounts for around 40%

of the UK’s total carbon footprint. In October 2019

the government launched the first in a set of

consultations on current building regulations that

aim to tackle this issue.

The first focuses on Part L (conservation of fuel

and power) and Part F (ventilation) of the building

regulations for new dwellings in England. This will

be followed by consultations on existing dwellings,

as well as new and existing buildings other than

dwellings, including corresponding regulations in

Wales and Scotland. The outcome is expected in

the next few months and new regulations are due to

come into force by the end of 2020.

It’s clear that change is coming, but what impact

will it have on fabricators? Well, companies will

have to order in insulating glass units (IGUs)

that deliver specifications satisfying the new

requirements, as demand pivots to what is expected

to be more insulating building fabrics and, for some

applications, reductions in the risk of overheating.

Getting to grips with the consultation outcomes will

help fabricators with future planning and enable

them to take advantage of new opportunities.

Improving emissions in the

UK’s built environment

The government has proposed two options with the

first being described as the ‘Future Homes Fabric’.

This is expected to reduce carbon emissions by

20% compared to the current standard for an

“It’s clear that change

is coming, but what

impact will it have on

fabricators?”

average home. This would be delivered through

very high fabric standards, such as triple glazing,

resulting in minimal heat loss from the building

envelope. The opportunity that presents itself

here for fabricators is around supplying highperformance

IGUs.

Option two would have a 31% reduction in carbon

emissions compared to the current standard.

This would see the introduction of carbon-saving

technology such as photovoltaic panels and lowcarbon

heating, as well a more modest increase in

fabric standards, in comparison to option one.

A mixed opportunity

Option two is the government’s preferred choice

with it delivering more carbon savings. However,

with a focus on renewable energy there could be

a missed opportunity when it comes to the bigger

picture of ensuring homes are moving towards

the Zero Energy Building standard, as a fabric first

approach would help lock in energy savings. That

said, there’s likely to be demand down the line for

fabricators as the net zero targets edge closer in

new-build markets.


Heat loss is typically measured by the thermal

transmittance or U-value, which is expressed as W/

m 2 K. The lower the U-value the greater the thermal

insulation. However, the amount of free heat energy

from the sun, the solar gain or g-value can also

have a big impact, particularly in contributing to

heating homes during winter – a concept that has

been the foundation of passive house design for

many years.

“The opportunity that

presents itself for

fabricators is around

supplying highperformance

IGUs”

The first consultations have proposed that the

maximum elemental window U-value for new

dwellings is reduced from 2.0 to 1.6 W/m 2 K. This is

unlikely to be significant as the notional (reference)

dwelling in the current regulations is based on a

lower window U-value of 1.4 W/m 2 K.

Glass with higher levels of thermal insulation (i.e. a

lower U-value) will be needed to meet the minimum

energy performance for the whole building. It seems

this has already been signposted in the supporting

impact assessment which has modelled options

one and two assuming a window U-value of 0.8 and

1.2 W/m 2 K, respectively.

Driving the UK forward

Beyond new-builds, there is still the challenge

around retrofitting existing buildings in the UK. The

industry is seeing a focus on renovations and one

of the best ways to increase thermal insulation is

replacing the old windows with high-performance

double or triple glazed windows.

Indeed, there is a huge opportunity here –

doubling the replacement rate of windows across

Europe alone would achieve 20% of the EU’s

energy efficiency target for 2030, for example,

and this could be taken one step further if

windows were replaced with high-performance

glazing. Existing dwellings and buildings are set to

be consulted on early this year, so we can expect

to gain an understanding of the government’s

approach to retrofitting.

With a constant supply of new information,

we’ve launched an online hub that’s dedicated

to keeping building professionals informed on the

latest developments from the upcoming changes

to Part L.

The hub’s content aims to make it easier to stay

on track with the proposed changes, as there’s

no doubt there will be a huge opportunity for

fabricators to help drive the supply of higher

energy performance glass, in turn helping the

UK take a step towards becoming more energy

efficient.

Contact Pilkington

pilkington.co.uk/partL2020

@PilkingtonUK


FEB/MAR 2020 T F 57

Skills & Recruitment

ATTRACTING NEW TALENT

With recruitment a growing concern for many fabricators, Stephanie Tague, head of Building

Our Skills, talks to Total Fabricator about the campaign to make fenestration a career of choice.

In a nutshell, what is Building Our Skills?

Building Our Skills (BOS) – ‘Making Fenestration

a Career of Choice’ – is committed to bridging

the growing skills gap by working closely with

employers and other organisations to attract new

entrants to the industry, and by upskilling the

existing workforce to ensure it can meet future

challenges and continue to prosper.

BOS aims to work on behalf of the industry to

continuously promote and raise awareness of

fenestration to new and young people, helping to

inform, encourage, inspire and support them.

What fenestration skillsets does it cover?

Any business with a stakeholding in the

fenestration industry can take part. For BOS to

succeed, we need companies and individuals to

support the campaign, hopefully buying into its

principles and goals.

BOS wants to see all roles in the industry

accessible to new and young people.

“Mentoring, incentives

and rewards for

achieving personal

targets can all help

to attract and retain

young people”

What can BOS offer fabricators specifically?

Many of our larger partners, mainly extrusion and

component manufacturers, are working with us to

create ways of getting fabricators and installers

to engage with the campaign. This is manifesting

itself in the promotion of several initiatives to help

fabricators focus on upskilling their workforce, and

also highlight where funding support is available.

We also have a campaign which aims to get

business and individuals engaged with

local schools. In turn, this will help

create awareness towards the industry

and future recruitment in those areas.

We are also running workshops and

masterclasses to support the changing

legislations, improvements and other

important factors which may affect

fabricators.

What do you think puts off

newcomers and youngsters

joining the industry?

We have been slow to recognise

that our industry has some fantastic

opportunities. We haven’t promoted

fenestration as a career of choice and

therefore, it’s not perceived as such.

Young people will have a huge

impact on futureproofing and growing

fenestration, so it is important we

make every effort to attract them,

even more so as most businesses

across our sector are already experiencing the

effects of an ageing workforce.

How can fabricators attract new talent?

A fabricator role may not be the most attractive

proposition for a young person, so it’s important

to consider what motivates them: apprenticeship

schemes, qualifications, mentoring, incentives

and rewards for achieving personal targets can

all help to attract and retain young people.

BOS is working on a number of initiatives and

creating advisory groups to better understand

how we can communicate our messages into

certain sectors more effectively, notably the

education system, which is top of our list. We

want to encourage anyone with experience and

opinions to join in the discussions and input into

the campaign.

Can you tell us about the EverybodyFITs

campaign?

EverybodyFITs was launched in January this year

to encourage industry employers to consider the

benefits of employing a diverse workforce to help

bridge the growing skills gap.

We launched EverybodyFITs to get employers to

consider a wider pool of employees, rather than

the standard stereotypical person who would

normally fill a certain role.

Stephanie Tague.

For example, we believe it’s important to

highlight job roles such as surveying and

CAD design to females, and explore how we

can attract people with disabilities to join our

workforces. Diversity in a workforce can be key to a

company’s success and there is a vast amount of

government research to prove how this can work.

Contined on page 60...


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Skills & Recruitment

Contined from page 58...

BOS launched the EverybodyFITs campaign to promote

the benefits of employing a diverse workforce.

Making manufacturing more accessible in terms

of disability, race, gender or age is not impossible

and in many circumstances, costs nothing to

assess and put processes in place. Moving away

from ‘the norm’ and having an appreciation of

other staffing options automatically gains you a

larger amount of potential job candidates.

Tell us about the BOS Academy and how

fabricators can use it

The BOS Academy is in Sheffield, next to Meadow

Hall shopping centre. The building has been

chosen for its accessibility and will be used for

three different areas: business, practical training

and ‘inspiring talent’.

Opened in November last year by Lord David

Blunkett, the practical training area is built with

apertures to fit windows and doors and there is

also a conference and teaching area.

Both these areas are great for fabricators to use,

either benefiting from our annual prospectus of

free masterclasses or utilising the training courses

being run by BOS or other training partners.

Partners sponsoring BOS also have limited free

use of the centre as part of their package, making

it a great facility to train and launch new products

to customers and staff.

Is local government funding available for

fenestration courses?

BOS is engaging with government agencies which

have access to funding, and in certain areas

we have secured qualifications and courses in

fenestration available to fabricators.

We are currently working with West Yorkshire

College Consortium, Sheffield City Region Skills

Bank and Nottingham/Derby Local Enterprise

Partnership.

What would your message be to

fabricators who feel that training, skills

and encouraging new talent is not a

priority for them?

Evidence and feedback from many of the large

organisations we work with shows how investing

in training and development is a key contributor

to the longevity of a business.

Fabricating is already a profession,

qualifications exist for individuals choosing it

as a career. These qualifications developed and

awarded by GQA Qualifications not only enhance

the individual’s knowledge and learning, but offer

the company a better-skilled workforce.

BOS has just been registered as a limited

company by guarantee. What does this mean?

With the exception of employee and day-to-day

running costs, BOS will reinvest year on year

profits gained from funding, sponsorships, and

the BOS Academy towards growing and promoting

fenestration. The staus will also allow BOS to

apply for funding and grants to help with skills,

training and development.

What’s next for BOS?

The ethos surrounding BOS is longevity. We

acknowledge there is not going to be an instant

shift of new people suddenly coming into the

industry, but hopefully the work we are doing now

with employers will help towards making that

change, in particular in their own communities.

We will be putting a large amount of energy into

encouraging people to register for our Inspiring

the Future campaign: www.inspiringthefuture.org/

fenestration/. This is crucial to raise awarness of

our industry in the future – anyone from an MD

to an apprentice can sign-up and talk to schools

and colleges.

We will also be continuing to work with agencies

who can support funding and grant opportunities

to help businesses secure skills and training,

and help us increase awareness of fenestration.

We are improving our communication methods

through our website, social media platforms and

other online services to ensure we share as much

information with the industry as possible and

plan to set up a number of advisory groups to

support the network.

How can fabricators get involved with

Building Our Skills?

Follow us on our social media platforms –

Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. Like and share

with other colleagues, customers and suppliers.

The more people aware of the campaign gives

us a greater chance of raising awareness of

Fenestration.

Contact us direct – the BOS team can offer

more information on our various campaigns and

you can decide how much your businesses and

employees get involved.

“Moving away from ‘the

norm’ automatically

gains you a larger

amount of potential job

candidates”

Contact Building Our Skills

07789 344 479

www.buildingourskills.co.uk

@BOSFenestration


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Building Regs: Compliance

IT PAYS TO PARTNER WITH EXPERTS

Wayne Rogerson, Joint MD of CENSolutions, discusses why in the face of imminent

Building Regulation and product standard changes, your business needs to partner with

an expert who not only ensures compliance, but also the systems and procedures to help

your business grow.

At the time of writing, the second phase

of the Grenfell Inquiry is in progress with

the actions of both clients and suppliers

which led to the tragedy being put under the

microscope. While we hope the inquiry will lead to

clearer interpretations of regulations in the future

and the removal of any grey areas in specification

and design, what we can definitely say, is that

even more emphasis will now be placed on

correct compliance and certification along the

entire supply chain. What makes this especially

worrying for the door and window industry is

the lack of awareness and action relating to

mandatory changes due to EN1279 and to overall

Building Regulations in just a couple of months

and again in 2025 (The Future Homes Standard).

Mandatory changes to EN 1279

from March 19th, 2020

The standard for the manufacture of Double-Glazed

Sealed Units (IGU’s) has been amended and

becomes mandatory on the 19th March 2020.

This hEN standard - EN 1279:2018 product

standard – is needed to comply with the

Construction Products Regulation and has

undergone several changes that will affect

Sealed Unit Manufacturers. The changes need

to be addressed urgently. We can’t cover the

complexities of the changes in this article

but here’s a summary of how sealed unit

manufacturers will need to comply:

• Primary and Secondary Sealant – compliance

with EN 1279:4-2018

• Molecular Sieves – change in test method and

compliance with EN 1279:4-2018

• Foamed Spacer Systems – test methods and

compliance with EN 1279:4-2018

• Testing to EN 1279-6:2018 – new parameters

and tolerances.

• Change of documentation to reference the new

standard.

It’s important to note that if you’re an installer, who

buys units from one supplier and windows from

another, you have to comply with EN 134351. We

can assist with a FOC solution or at minimal charge.

The changes are relatively straight-forward but

there is a process that needs to be adhered to

before the deadline to ensure ongoing compliance,

so companies do need to act sooner rather than

later. As is always the case with changing legislation

we’ve found there is a general lack of awareness

across the industry and no sense of urgency to meet

the deadline, which inevitably leads to a last-minute

rush when the deadline is upon us.

The Future Homes Standard

Intended to be introduced in 2025, this is the

Government standard to ensure that new build

homes are future-proofed with low carbon heating

and high levels of energy efficiency. Part L 2020

is expected to provide an interim step towards

fully delivering this standard five years later.

While the full implications on the refurbishment

and commercial markets are yet to be seen, we

can be sure that zero energy (nZEB) buildings are

the end game with ultra-energy efficient glass

and windows expected to play a crucial role.

CENSolutions: your partners in product

certification & compliance

If any of these changes come as a surprise

to you, you’re probably not alone. Every day

our team of Independent Consultants meet

companies who haven’t been made aware of how

they need to change their businesses to remain

compliant. They also tell us that anything to do

with compliance can be a laborious process that

they dread, bringing no real business benefits

apart from a ‘badge.’

CENSolutions was established in 2004 to fill this

gap by offering companies in the window, door

and glass industries a new, easier, and more cost

effective way to comply with the product standards

and obtain certification. We are now the UK’s

largest supplier of quality certification, working in

the Insulated Glass & Window Industry, and are

one of only three certification bodies recognised by

The NHBC.

This exponential growth has been based on true

partnering with our customers for the long term

and our aim has always been to ensure clients

are not only fully compliant with the standards

relevant to their offering, but to also ensure they

have the systems and procedures in place to

help their company grow. Customers tell us we’re

straightforward, friendly and offer good value for

money, and the industry backgrounds and expertise

of all our Independent Consultants mean the door

and window industry is second nature to us.

Contact CENSolutions

01785 716625

www.censolutions.com


GLAZING

SUMMIT

2020

THURSDAY 8 TH OCTOBER

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REMAINING

2019 IN

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The Glazing Summit returns to Edgbaston Conference

Centre with a host of experts and keynote speakers

debating the burning issues facing the industry.

Organised by Insight Data and Purplex Marketing, Glazing Summit

2020 will tackle head-on the challenges and opportunities facing

every fabricator, installer, glass company and component supplier in

the industry.

“One of the most realistic yet dynamic takes on the UK fenestration

industry.” Justin Ratcliffe, Chief Executive, CAB

“You gave the industry a tremendous boost with this superb event.”

James Lee, Director of External Affairs, The GGF

“Glazing Summit 2019 was a breath of fresh air. The 2020

event looks set to be bigger and better.” Paul Atkinson, Sales and

Commercial Director, Yale

Don’t miss out on sponsoring and partnering with the Glazing Summit

in 2020 and get your brand in front of hundreds of business owners,

leaders and decision makers in the glazing industry.

For more information, call 01934 808293,

email hello@glazingsummit.co.uk

or visit www.glazingsummit.co.uk

7

MAJOR INDUSTRY

TOPICS

25

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

& SPONSORS

20+

EXPERT SPEAKERS

INDUSTRY LEADERS,

SUPPLIERS, CUSTOMERS

& THE MEDIA

Timber Windows & Doors

A TIMBER SYSTEM SET FOR GROWTH

Owen Dare, a founder partner of The Joinery Network and managing director at OT Dare

Joinery Consultants, talks about how fenestration manufacturers can now make superior,

fully certified timber windows and doors.

There’s a growing appetite for timber

windows. The sustainability generation has

moved public opinion to look at what we

eat, wear and what we put in our homes. Timber

is the natural fit for windows, but the lack of

supply for good quality, certified windows in UK

designs has stifled growth, and many installers

have discounted wooden windows as an option.

Born through a shared frustration that timber

windows had become a niche product rather than

a popular choice for UK homes, eight companies

came together to create The Joinery Network. Our

first task was to bring a consistent supply of timber

windows, manufactured to all the regulations

new-build homes require, the same standards that

PVC-U and aluminium installers expect.

The Joinery Network consists of eight founder

partners: BJ Waller, Balls2 Marketing, CalWin,

Close Brothers, DJH Group, Fiscale, Leitz Tooling

UK, and OT Dare Joinery Consultants. Together,

we offer a complete range of specialisation for

window fabrication. Alongside my 30 years’

experience in manufacturing timber windows, we

also have tooling, hardware, finance, tax credits,

joinery software and marketing.

Lignum windows and doors

Since our launch at the FIT Show last year, we

have developed Lignum, a UK-design, PAS 24

tested window system.

Other timber window systems that have all the

accreditations are often European in design, with

ultra-modern styling and chunky outerframes

commonly used with tilt-and-turn mechanisms.

So having a UK design of the window was key for

us, as most UK home designs required slimmer

frames and more traditional multi-pane openings.

As well as the UK design, Lignum ticks all the

“Lignum is a UK-design,

PAS 24 tested window

system that ticks all

the boxes for easy

manufacturing”

boxes for easy manufacturing. The founder

members clubbed together to fund the

development of the system and pay for product

testing to create a complete range of timber

windows and doors.

Lignum, by The Joinery Network, includes a

comprehensive range of every product fabricators

need to offer a suited range of certified windows

and doors. It includes vertical sliding box sash

windows, vertical sliding spiral balance, top & side

swing flush casement and storm-proof windows.

For doors, there are entrance doors, (including

low thresholds), French doors, single doors,

(including in and out opening), and bi-fold doors.

We’ve invested in testing Lignum to PAS 24:2016

for security – this is the latest standard required

for SBD and Document Q; and BS 6375: 1 for

weathertightness and energy efficiency; as well

as Document M for accessibility. This means all

products in the range are tested to the most up to

date Building Regulations.

With testing now complete, we offer licences

for fabricators and joinery manufacturers on

individual window and doors, so that companies

can choose the products they want. They can

have just one licence, the whole range – or

anything in-between. This means that fabricators

can now manufacture a certified timber window

at a fraction of the cost of designing and certifying

their own product.

The Joinery Network partners have already

provided expertise to support joinery companies

set up efficient timber window and door lines and

are already seeing Lignum windows and doors

being manufactured and installed into new-build

and refurbishment projects.

Information and workshops

The Joinery Network is committed to building

a network of independent timber window and

door manufacturers. We run regular events;

hands-on workshops allow visitors to see the

finished products, as well as the machinery and

tooling. The new Lignum branding and marketing

support will also be available. There’s also an

opportunity to talk with all the founder partners,

and affiliates.

The next event is on 14 May and it’s hosted by

one of our affiliate members Teknos, the window

and door coatings specialist. Teknos is based in

Launton, near Bicester in Oxfordshire. To book a

free place email hello@thejoinerynetwork.co.uk

or visit the website.

Contact The Joinery Network

www.thejoinerynetwork.co.uk

@JoineryNetwork


YEAR

SILVER

JUBILEE

1995-2020

Join us to celebrate our 25th Anniversary

of fundraising

16th May 2020 at the prestigious

Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales

Black Tie and Ball Gown

Champagne Reception and Dinner

Reserve your table of 10 now for £1,495

by emailing

sarah@gmfundraising.co.uk or

gary@gmfundraising.co.uk

Comment

TAKING A NEW VIEW IN 2020

As a new decade begins, we must take the chance to make construction fit for the future by

tackling some of the sector’s biggest issues says Newview’s director Michele Wietscher.

To call the last few years ‘eventful’ would be

the understatement of the century. They’ve

been shocking, exciting, troubling – and

always challenging.

Back in 2010, I don’t think many of us seriously

imagined that Donald Trump would be leader of

the free world, Britain would vote to leave the

EU, and schoolchildren would be striking about

climate change by the end of the decade.

And it would be naïve to think the 2020s will be

any more predictable.

But if there’s one thing we can be sure of, it’s that

the 2020s will bring challenge and disruption and

since we can’t avoid it, we might as well harness

it to help make construction fit for the future.

“We still face huge

challenges – and I

think the 2020s will

be the make-or-break

decade”

Overcoming climate crisis

Our sector is one of the more innovative, forwardthinking

and socially-conscious in the UK. But we

still face huge challenges – and in many ways,

I think the 2020s will be the make-or-break

decade when it comes to tackling them.

It goes without saying that climate change is the

most important – we’ve already seen its destructive

potential with Australia’s devastating bushfires.

To prevent the most severe environmental

damage, the International Panel on Climate

Change concludes we need to limit any further

rises in global temperatures to 1.5ºC. And that’s

an enormous task. To achieve it, world CO2

emissions will have to drop by 45% in the next

10 years – 7.6% every year according to the UN

– and then continue to decline until we reach ‘net

zero’ by 2050.

If that’s possible, it’s obviously going to take

a massive, co-ordinated effort involving every

government on earth. The contribution we can

make as individual businesses, and even as whole

sectors of the economy, is limited.

But we can still make a significant difference. In

fact, we’re better placed than many industries

to have a positive impact, because we can take

action on two fronts.

We can reduce our own – often significant – carbon

footprints as companies. And through the projects

we work on, we can help make Britain’s buildings

more sustainable than ever before – a vital task,

given that the built environment accounts for

25-40% of total energy use, 30% of raw material

use, and 30-40% of total carbon emissions.

Tackling the skills shortage

The 2020s are also likely to be the decade the

skills shortage really starts to bite. One in five UK

construction workers are 55 or older – meaning

that, by the end of the decade, 20% of our

workforce will have hit retirement age.

Again, that’s a huge challenge to overcome.

But it’s also an opportunity – to innovate, think

smart, and come up with fresh ways of tackling

familiar problems.

Very simply, we haven’t got enough people to

keep working the way we have been. We can’t

magic an entire new generation of construction

workers out of nowhere – and following our

departure from the EU, it’s likely to get harder to

source experienced employees from overseas.

Training and education are certainly an important

part of the solution. We need to support and

Michele Wietscher.

encourage more young people to consider careers

in construction – and work with schools, colleges

and training providers to smooth their transition

into our industry.

But that’s a long-term strategy. It’ll help ensure

we have enough talented new recruits in 10, or

20 years’ time.

In the short to medium-term, however, it’s likely

we’ll have to fully embrace the potential of

automation, and commit to developing leaner,

more efficient ways of achieving the same or

better results with less personnel.

Ready for anything

2020 will be Newview’s sixteenth year in

business. We survived the financial crisis to

become one of the UK’s most respected and

forward-thinking commercial glazing companies.

And with decades of expertise under our belts,

we’re ready to handle whatever the next 10 years

throw at us.

Contact Newview

01903 244 449

www.newview-homes.co.uk

@newviewUK


Fabricators

Grow Your Business!

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MAY/JUNE 2019

PRACTICALCONTENTFORTHEGLAZINGINSTALLER & HOMEIMPROVEMENTSPECIALIST

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