December 2020

Industry News
GLASS PROCESSOR
DOUBLES TURNOVER
Halsall Glass has more than doubled its
turnover in less than a year, driven by
‘customer acquisition post lockdown and
exponential growth in demand’.
The glass processor said that it had won
a number of new contracts while existing
customers had also seen growth.
Rob Halsall, managing director, Halsall Glass,
said: “We came back early in comparison to
our competitors because we could socially
distance very easily and because the demand
for glass was still there.
“That meant we picked up a number of new
customers, who we’ve retained, while as
more of the industry came back, it fed into
that demand. We’ve doubled in size on this
time last year.”
The company says software from Clear
Thinking Software – including the Glass
Office operational management tool for the
glass processing and IGU sectors – has been
‘instrumental’ in managing demand and
safeguarding its profitability.
REGALEAD WARNS OF ‘CHEAP IMITATIONS’
RegaLead has hit out at
companies producing what
it says are ‘dumbed down’
‘copycat’ versions of its
decorative glass designs.
While it is said that ‘imitation is
the sincerest form of flattery’,
RegaLead’s Guy Hubble wrote
in a letter to Total Fabricator:
“Whilst we have no objections to healthy
competition, which drives innovation and delivers
value, we fail to see how these tactics drive the
market forward in any way. Isn’t this ‘flattery’, in
fact, theft?”
He added that “as with many things in life, there
will always be someone who can ‘do it cheaper’,
but at what cost? The dumbing down of a glass
design not only reduces the aesthetic value, but
its performance too. We have invested time,
technical development and significant money
into our decorative glass designs to make them
look fantastic and perform well, so that the glass
unit is not the weak link in the door. After all, a
composite door warranty is only as valid as the
weakest link.
“This includes ensuring that our IGUs are
According to RegaLead’s Guy Hubble, “there is always
someone who can ‘do it cheaper’, but at what cost?”
Document Q and Document L compliant and
tested to EN1279, so that customers can CE
mark with confidence with access to complete
documentary evidence. We also operate the
ISO:9001 and deliver consistency in design for
the whole door system, with suited sidelights
and toplights.”
Guy concluded: “When installers and fabricators
are buying decorative glass, they shouldn’t
assume that because the glass looks similar
that it will perform the same. They aren’t just
buying the aesthetics that help to sell doors.
They are buying the performance, the testing, the
compliance, the certainty, and the confidence
that the glass being fitted isn’t the weak link in
their composite door.”
STERLING GENEROSITY FROM TWO INDUSTRY BUSINESSES
Industry machinery expert Haffner Murat
and Warrington-based fabricator Sterling
Windows, Doors and Conservatories have
made a combined £5,000 charitable donation
to Hope House Children’s Hospices, which
provides palliative care for children with life
limiting conditions.
Dave Thomas, managing director of Haffner Murat,
said: “As devoted supporters of GM Fundraising
and Hope House Children’s Hospices, both Haffner
Murat and Sterling Windows were well aware of the
negative impact the pandemic had on the charity
this year. As such, we wanted to donate some
much-needed funds to support the charity at this
critical time.”
Dave continued: “We recently sold some new
machinery to Sterling Windows, Doors and
Conservatories. Instead of agreeing on the typical
machinery discount, Andy Wells, director of Sterling
Windows and I decided to donate £2,500 each to
Hope House Children’s Hospices instead.”
Gary Morton, founder of GM Fundraising, said: “A
huge thanks to both Haffner Murat and Sterling
Windows for this generous donation. The impact
the pandemic has had on our charity has been
significant and this donation will really help.”
Hope House Children’s Hospices has faced a
significant shortfall in 2020 with their various
fundraising events being cancelled or postponed.
As a result of their donation and ongoing support
to the charity, both companies will become
official GM Fundraising Champions.
Gary concluded: “Despite a difficult 2020,
people’s desire to continue to support GM
Fundraising and Hope House remains unchanged
– as the generosity by Haffner Murat and Sterling
Windows shows.”
12 TF DEC/JAN 2021 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN