Feb/March 2020
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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 >>>
DUAL-COLOUR &
MARINE-GRADE
AS STANDARD
THE DECALU 88
ALUMINIUM BI-FOLDING DOOR
Advanced Performance, Made Simple.
DUAL
COLOUR
AS STANDARD
FAST
FIT
PRE-INSERTED GASKET IN FRAME, VENT AND GLAZING BEADS
• Dual colour and marine grade as standard
• U-values as low as 0.68W/m2K*
• Lower stock holding - cut manufacturing times by 30%
• Pre-inserted gasket in frame, vent and glazing beads
* U-Value calculated on the
basis of a door measuring
4000 x 3000mm (WxH)
and featuring 4 sashes
and triple-glazing
Part of the new aluminium systems offer from Deceuninck Aluminium
Add margin through manufacture
Deceuninck Limited
Stanier Road • Porte Marsh • Calne • Wiltshire SN11 9PX
T +44 (0)1249 816 969 • F +44 (0)1249 815 234
info@deceuninck.co.uk • www.deceuninck.com
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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CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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.
8 TF FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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Designed for lift/slide and bi-folding doors,
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stylish and comfortable. Our nine finishes match
aluminium, timber or PVC-U installations.
products are backed by a minimum 10 year surface
and corrosion guarantee and benefit from Q-secure – the most
comprehensive MULTI-BRAND security guarantee on the market.
Whichever way you look at it, we have a stylish furniture solution for you.
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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
10 TF FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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“
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
12 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
Style & elegance
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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
14 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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.
16 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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”.
18 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
20 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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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
22 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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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.
24 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
Hitech
THE
2020 Vision.
Faster delivery. Improved customer
service. 10-year guarantee.
High performance IGUs with
hermetically sealed blinds
made in the UK
Symmetrical design with
slim 30mm sightline
Choice of nine standard
colours and any RAL
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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
26 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
28 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
“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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
30 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
32 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
34 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
36 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
38 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
40 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
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Total per week = 600 Windows
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For fast precision manufacturing take a closer
look at the SMR-5 Welder from Haffner Murat today!
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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
42 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
44 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
46 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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Smart Hardware
HARDWARE & ACCESSORIES
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
48 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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”
50 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
HARDWARE & ACCESSORIES
“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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
FEB/MAR 2020 T F 51
Aluminium Hardware
HARDWARE & ACCESSORIES
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
52 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
MAKE AN IMPACT.
THIS IS WHERE IT BEGINS…
With over 30 years’ experience in the glazing industry, Purplex combines in-depth industry knowledge
with marketing know-how across all channels. As a digital, creative and public relations agency we
build your brand, drive customers to your door and create sustainable, profitable growth.
To find out how we can help you make a real impact let’s start with a coffee.
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Hardware Updates
HARDWARE & ACCESSORIES
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
54 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
HARDWARE & ACCESSORIES
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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.
56 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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...
58 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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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
60 TF FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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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
62 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
GLAZING
SUMMIT
2020
THURSDAY 8 TH OCTOBER
insightdata
business is better with insight
organisers of
THE BIGGEST ISSUES •THE BIGGEST NAMES
THE BIGGEST INDUSTRY CONFERENCE
LIMITED
SPONSORSHIP
REMAINING
2019 IN
NUMBERS
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
64 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
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
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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
66 T F FEB/MAR 2020 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN
Fabricators
Grow Your Business!
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MAY/JUNE 2019
PRACTICALCONTENTFORTHEGLAZINGINSTALLER & HOMEIMPROVEMENTSPECIALIST
JULY/AUG 2019
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
SEPT/OCT 2019
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
TI Talk: Pro-Fitter
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