March/April 2021

MAR/APR 2021 

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST 

DAKEA 

ROOF WINDOWS 

ARE BUILT 

FOR THE TRADE. 

dakea.co.uk 

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Editor’s Comment 

SOPHIE STEVENS 

EDITOR 

SOPHIESTEVENS@MEDIA-NOW.CO.UK 

The window and door sector remains buoyant and this looks set to 

continue – helped in part by recent measures such as the extension 

of the Stamp Duty holiday – but the downside of this, is that some 

installers are struggling to keep up with consumer demand. 

DAKEA 

ROOF WINDOWS 

ARE BUILT 


dakea.co.uk 

As the construction skills shortage impacts further on the fenestration 

sector, “if we don’t collectively take action to try to bring more people 

into our industry and provide them with adequate training, the situation 

is only going to get worse”. That’s the view of FENSA’s Anda Gregory 

who discusses the problem and some of the measures being taken to 

address it, on page 22 of this issue. 

Elsewhere, with ambitious Government plans to improve the energy 

efficiency of our housing stock afoot, Certass Trade Association’s Jon 

Vanstone discusses the PAS 2030 review and what it could mean for 

our sector (see page 18), and Pilkington’s Phil Brown discusses the 

results of the first consultation on the Future Homes Standard – and the 

implications for glass and glazing installers (see page 20). 

On a more practical note, AluFoldDirect outlines seven steps for smooth 

aluminium sliding door installations (see page 36), Made For Trade 

reveals how you can ‘fit in minutes, glaze in seconds... and have a brew 

before you know it’ with the Korniche roof lantern (see pages 44-45), 

and Makita offers dust-busting best practice advice to protect you and 

your workmates on-site (see pages 62-64). 

Read on for all of this and much, much more... 

I hope you enjoy the issue! 

Sophie 

Advertising: 

total_installers_cover_march_20210303.indd 1 03/03/2021 10:21:09 

Cover courtesy of Dakea. Read Paul Edwards’ views on why despite 

challenges, installers can still be optimistic on p14. www.dakea.co.uk 

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MARCH/APRIL 2021 TI 3

Contents 

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS 

46 

20 A GREENER FUTURE? 

Pilkington’s Phil Brown explores the Future 

Homes Standard and the changes expected to 

influence glass and glazing installers 

22 SKILLS IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

GGF Commercial’s Anda Gregory answers five 

key questions on the fenestration skills 

shortage as consumer demand continues to grow 

42 A HANDLE ON SAFETY 

Dave Broxton says the increase in larger, 

heavier glass units highlights the importance of 

manual handling equipment that is fit for purpose 

34 

FEATURES 

24 INSTALLER-FOCUSSED 

Exploring Keylite’s product offering – and the benefits 

for installers 

32 DIRECT ADVANTAGE? 

Window Ware argues that if you want the best price, 

buying direct is not always the answer 

34 STELLAR SOLUTION 

Epwin’s Mark Austin discusses the features and 

benefits of the Stellar aluminium system 

36 SLIDE TO SUCCESS 

AluFoldDirect presents seven steps to a smooth 

sliding door installation 

46 DROP-IN GLAZING 

Supalite explains how a new development has made its 

SkyVista product easier than ever to install 

60 

50 AUTOMATIC BENEFITS 

We hear what benefits fabricator automation can really 

offer installers 

54 OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES 

Euramax explores the key home improvement trends for 

2021 and the opportunites they present 

4 T I MARCH/APRIL 2021 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST

REGULARS 

16 THE BUSINESS 

PILOT BAROMETER 

Buoyant sales and the Budget’s housing market 

boost are good news for installers 

18 CERTASS TA 

Jon Vanstone discusses the PAS 2030 review and 

what it could mean for our sector 

60 INSTALLER INSIGHTS 

 

Daniel Collins, director at Daylight Installations, 

talks confidence and Covid challenges 

64 MAKITA: TOOL TALK 

 

Makita UK explores the dangers of dust inhalation 

and how installers can protect themselves and 

those around them 

INDUSTRY NEWS 

10 REAL-TIME DATA 

Sternfenster launches live production capacity feed for 

its installer customers 

11 COLOUR IS KEY 

Survey of UK homeowners suggests that colour and finish 

are key factors in determining their purchasing decisions 

SECTIONS: 

WINDOWS 

24 

DOORS 

36 

GLAZED 

EXTENSIONS 

44 

HOME 

IMPROVEMENTS 

54 

11 

08 

VEHICLES, TOOLS 

& WORKWEAR 

62 


MARCH/APRIL 2021 T I 5

Industry News 

For more news and the latest updates, visit www.total-installer.co.uk 

RESEARCH REVEALS POST-COVID ALUMINIUM OPPORTUNITIES 

New research, carried out by AluK amongst 

members of the Manchester Society of 

Architects, suggests that the Covid-19 

pandemic has created ‘a whole raft of 

potential new opportunities’ for aluminium 

fabricators and installers. 

Almost 70% of architects polled said that they 

had changed their approach to residential design 

as a result of the pandemic, and more than 30% 

said that it had specifically affected their design 

approach to fenestration. 

The biggest change for architects in the 

residential market is that they expect to design 

spaces which accommodate more working from 

home (69%), followed by including more external 

space (58%). 

In terms of fenestration, 49% of those who 

responded said they are likely to include 

more openable windows in future residential 

and commercial spaces to improve natural 

ventilation, 48% said they would be looking 

for ways to increase daylight, and 45% were 

considering integrating more and larger windows 

in their schemes. 

Sioned Roberts, AluK’s marketing director, said 

the findings bear out what commentators have 

been predicting since the advent of the ‘new 

normal’ and working from home during lockdown. 

She commented: “Our market has obviously 

been head down and focused on keeping up with 

demand since last summer, but we very much 

need to be aware of how that demand is likely to 

shift once we move out of lockdown. 

“It’s valuable then to get real evidence and 

figures to back up what we all perhaps sensed 

was likely to happen. Architects are obviously 

key drivers of change in our market so a better 

understanding of what they are thinking and 

planning is critical. 

“In residential terms, we can see definite trends 

towards extensions and garden buildings for working 

from home, which present great opportunities for 

both our sliders and bi-folds. Similarly, more external 

space extends beyond just gardens and also includes 

balconies which is more good news for our range of 

sliding patios in particular. 

“And, more daylight doesn’t just mean bigger 

windows but also slimmer sightlines, which is 

69% 

58% 

49% 

48% 

45% 

30% 

POST-COVID OPPORTUNITIES FOR 

FENESTRATION INDUSTRY 

Almost 70% of architects had changed their approach to 

residential design as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

More spaces to accommodate 

working from home 

More external space 

More openable windows 

To increase daylight 

To integrate larger windows 

Different design approach 

to fenestration 

where our 58BW and new C70S window systems 

will help customers to win business. 

“There’s lots to feel optimistic about as we look 

towards the end of lockdown, particularly for 

those businesses, like AluK, which have the 

resources and operational efficiency to be able to 

meet demand.” 

EUROGLAZE MD: SUNAK’S BUDGET IS ‘POSITIVE FOR OUR SECTOR’ 

A £100bn savings mountain and a threemonth 

extension to the stamp duty holiday are 

the clearest signals yet that we can expect 

demand in the retail market to continue at 

current levels for quite some time yet – that’s 

the view of Martin Nettleton, managing 

director of Barnsley-based trade fabricator 

Euroglaze, (pictured right) who says that the 

fenestration market has much to be pleased 

about in Rishi Sunak’s recent Budget. 

Martin said: “There was a risk that the housing 

market might dip if the stamp duty holiday was 

abruptly withdrawn – and we now have certainty 

that won’t happen. The Chancellor was obviously 

keen to maintain buyer confidence at least until 

we get to the end of the current restrictions, and I 

think he has largely achieved that. 

“Given the fact that UK households are estimated 

to have accumulated around £100bn in excess 

savings during the pandemic – a significant 

proportion of which we can hope will be spent 

on home improvements, that’s really positive 

news for our sector. We also, of course, had 

some reassurance in the Budget that the muchtrailed 

hikes to corporation tax won’t kick in until 

April 2023 and even then, there will be tapered 

increases for businesses with smaller profits, 

which will help many of the retail installers 

operating at the sharp end of our industry. 

“Growth this year is predicted at 4% and next 

year at 7%, which would see the economy return 

to pre-pandemic levels. There’s obviously a 

huge amount of public debt to be cleared, but 

with Rishi signalling that he intends to continue 

investing for growth rather than taxing hard and 

fast to balance the books at this stage, I think 

we should all be feeling pretty positive about the 

outlook for our market in 2021.” 

6 TI MARCH/APRIL 2021 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST

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Industry News 

WIDGETS HITS ZERO 

LANDFILL MILESTONE 

After a two-and-a-half-year waste 

management programme, Window 

Widgets has achieved a ‘zero-landfill’ 

milestone, as the company looks to 

reinforce its green credentials. 

Driven by Andrew Taylor, QHSE manager, the 

waste management programme ensures that 

only compliant waste carriers with an up-todate 

licence are used across the recycling 

and re-processing of nineteen different types 

of waste. Investment has been made in 

waste bailers and compactors at Widgets’ 

site in Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, and there 

are additional plans to help process further 

materials for recycling that are currently 

designated as general waste. 

General waste that can’t be recycled is 

transported directly to the new £633m 

Javelin Park incineration plant which aims 

to generate enough power for 25,000 local 

homes, make a significant reduction in 

carbon emissions and save the taxpayer 

£100 million over 25 years. 

Elsewhere in the business the first fully 

electric company car has been delivered, 

with others to follow, while several 

carbon offsetting schemes are also under 

consideration in a company-wide strategy 

to make Window Widgets one of the most 

environmentally conscious companies in the 

glazing and fenestration sectors. 

The business is also looking to switch to a 

100% renewable energy supplier, once its 

current electricity contract ends in 2022. 

BGF INVESTS IN BRISANT SECURE 

Security systems supplier, Brisant-Secure, 

has secured an investment from BGF, the 

UK growth capital investor. Brisant says 

the move will secure its long-term growth 

plans, enabling it to develop further 

innovations and opportunities. 

Brisant partners, Nick Dutton and Steve 

Stewart (pictured right), remain majority 

shareholders while Seb Saywood, a BGF 

investor, joins them on the Brisant board. Nick 

and Steve will maintain responsibility for the 

management and direction of the company 

and ‘continue to drive product innovation that 

smashes hardware standards for the benefit of 

customers and the industry’. 

Commenting on the investment, Seb Saywood 

said: “BGF is the most active investor in the UK. 

We partner with ambitious companies to support 

their future growth. Brisant-Secure is a shining 

example of a forward-thinking organisation with 

big ambitions. Brisant’s success and impact 

on the market in such a short timeframe is 

remarkable, and we’re just as impressed with the 

company’s exciting plans for growth and product 

development. So, we’re delighted to provide 

Brisant with the support and resources to achieve 

these long-term goals.” 

Nick Dutton said: “BGF’s investment is a 

milestone in Brisant’s development, and it marks 

the start of an exciting new era for the business... 

It’s great news for customers and Brisant... I 

think it’s also significant that such a prominent 

investor recognises the growth and potential of 

our sector.” 

ROCAL GROUP MANAGEMENT BUY-OUT 

Rocal Group, which includes Rocal Insulating 

Panels, Rocal Indoor, Rocal Foiling, Rocal 

SIPs, Rocal Extrusions and the Endurance 

Doors brand, has been acquired by the existing 

management team from the previous owners, 

James and Sandra Longley. 

The transaction was completed on 2nd March 2021 

and led by the management team with financial 

guidance from Forrester Boyd, legal advice from 

Bridge McFarland and financial support from 

Aldermore Bank. The management team that has 

acquired the group comprises of Stephen Nadin, 

managing director, along with Alison Jenkin, group 

accountant, Garry Brewin, operations director and 

Kevin Ashe, production director. 


The Rocal Group says the change in ownership will 

see a continuation of the group’s business strategy 

and its sustained investment programme to 

support further growth, ‘with strong objectives for 

the future direction of the business and a companywide 

commitment towards product innovation and 

exemplary customer care’. 

Stephen Nadin, managing director of Rocal Group, 

commented: “We are genuinely elated with the 

deal, which will allow us to continue with our longterm 

business plan.” 

The Rocal Group includes Endurance Doors which 

supplies a range of premium, solid timber core 

composite doors to over 1,000 installers across 

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Industry News 

EUROCELL JOINS GOV 

KICKSTART SCHEME 

Eurocell, the manufacturer, distributor 

and recycler of PVC-U building products, 

has joined the Government’s Kickstart 

Scheme, helping to support the national 

effort of encouraging young people into 

work and kickstart the economy. 

The Kickstart Scheme helps to create new 

job placements for 16 – 24 year-olds on 

Universal Credit and who are at risk of longterm 

unemployment. The scheme provides 

funding for 25 hours a week for a six-month 

period, during which Eurocell will provide 

on the job training, as well as structured 

employability training. 

Eurocell has joined the new scheme, creating 

69 new Kickstart jobs, covering different areas 

of the business. 50 of the placements will 

be in the branch network, and the additional 

19 placements will be in operational and 

manufacturing business areas, giving young 

employees a fantastic opportunity to kickstart 

their careers, learn more about the industry 

and develop new skills. 

Andy McDonnell, managing director for 

Eurocell: said, “We’re delighted to be part of 

the Government Kickstart Scheme, providing 

the opportunity for younger people to move 

forward with their careers. At Eurocell, we’re 

keen to ensure that the scheme provides a 

long-term positive impact on the individuals 

taking on the Kickstart roles.” 

REAL-TIME DATA ON PRODUCTION CAPACITY 

Sternfenster is offering its installer customers 

the opportunity to tap into a live production 

capacity feed of its PVC-U and aluminium 

production lines, as part of its Sternfenster 

Plus offering. 

By logging in to the Sternfenster Plus portal 

(www.sfplus.co.uk) installers are presented 

with a unique insight into the fabricator’s 

manufacturing processes, by viewing real-time 

data on production capacity, broken down into 

individual products. 

Designed to improve levels of communication and 

deliver greater clarity on order turnaround times 

following ongoing high demand in the retail sector, 

Sternfenster Plus has been introduced to enhance 

the fabricator’s existing customer service and 

business management support. 

Nathan Court, sales director (pictured), explained: 

“The high order volumes that we experienced 

last year, and which we anticipate will continue 

into 2021 are good news for the industry, but 

they have put a considerable strain on the 

supply chain. Through Sternfenster Plus, our live 

production capacity feed gives our customers 

complete visibility of our production schedule 

from the moment they place an order, right 

through to delivery. 

“It also allows us to demonstrate the marked 

increase in capacity in our aluminium production 

line that has been made possible by significant 

investment in new machinery over the last 12 

months. This has enabled us to offer highly 

competitive lead times across our aluminium 

range, with our Smart Visofold and Alitherm 300 

window available from just five days.” 

In addition to data on production capacity, 

installers can also use Sternfenster Plus to 

check on the status of all their quotes, contracts 

and deliveries, access training and marketing 

materials and visit a regularly updated news feed. 

“The last 12 months have highlighted a 

requirement from fabricators to be more than 

just manufacturers and suppliers of product,” 

concluded Nathan. “We need to offer a smarter, 

more holistic level of service and support. It’s 

why we have been so comprehensive with what 

we offer with Sternfenster Plus – it literally gives 

our customers everything they need to run their 

businesses more efficiently.” 

Visit the Total Installer website for more on 

Sternfenster plus: https://bit.ly/3t34UhI 

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NEW HEAD OF MEMBER 

SERVICES AT CERTASS 

Danelle Kaukau (pictured) 

has been named head of 

Member Services at 

Certass, in recognition 

of her work to support 

installers and their 

businesses through the 

Covid-19 pandemic. 

Since the launch of the Certass Trade 

Association Members-only Forum, Danelle’s 

role has developed to give members easier 

access to the Certass team to get their 

queries answered quickly and accurately. 

Danelle has facilitated this by running the 

forum and working directly with members 

to support their businesses with advice, 

resources and information. 

Jason Clemmit, managing director at Certass, 

said: “Danelle has become the go-to person 

for so many of our members as she makes 

sure that the right information is delivered to 

them when they need it most. This has been 

most apparent during the pandemic, when the 

pace of information change has been so rapid. 

COLOUR KEY IN PURCHASING DECISIONS 

The findings of an independent survey of 

UK homeowners suggests that colour and 

finish are key factors in determining their 

purchasing decisions. 

The survey conducted by pollster, YouGov, and 

commissioned by Deceuninck, found that at a 

headline level 75% of homeowners surveyed 

think that choice of colour is important in shaping 

their purchasing decisions. 

Security, energy efficiency and sustainability 

were also cited by respondents as key influences. 

Price point was also a significant factor for some 

groupings, but less so for others. 

Rob McGlennon, managing director at 

Deceuninck, said: “Energy efficiency and security 

are key drivers of window and door purchases 

but colour, aesthetics and finish, are increasingly 

important, cited by 75% of respondents in our 

poll as an influence on their purchasing decisions. 

“What’s even more interesting, is that when you 

drill down into the detail, you can identify the 

increased weighting that certain demographics 

place on colour and finish, over and above other 

factors, as well as the influence of age grouping 

on colour preferences.” 

While the YouGov conducted survey found 75% 

of those questioned said choice of frame colour 

would influence their purchasing decisions, 96% 

said a match to the overall appearance of their 

property was also key. 

Across all age groups, window security and 

energy efficiency polled highly. Window price was, 

however, a significantly less important factor for 

older homeowners aged 55+ (56% said very 

important vs. 68% for 35 to 54-year-olds). The 

match to the overall appearance of the property 

(69%), and purchase from a trusted supplier 

(70%) was also more important for this grouping. 

Deceuninck will be releasing detail analysis of 

the survey results over the coming weeks to its 

customers in a series of remote presentations and 

workshops. To book a slot call: 01249 816 969, or 

email: deceuninck.ltd@deceuninck.com 

“Her close relationship with both members 

and the internal team means she is the vital 

link between our operations and our members, 

which is crucial for us to develop and improve 

our offering to installers and distribute the right 

information and resources to help keep their 

businesses operating safely and effectively.” 

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Industry News 

HIT THE BACK OF THE 

NET WITH GEOCEL 

Geocel says it is delighted to announce 

that it will be promoting the recently 

launched ecoSeal and The Works Pro 

products on pitchside advertising 

throughout this Premier League and EFL 

season. 

In celebration of this announcement, Geocel 

will be hosting free-to-enter competitions 

on its Facebook page with the chance to win 

prizes such as a PlayStation 5 and FIFA 21 

bundle. 

The advertising follows the 2020 launch of 

the company’s innovative ecoSeal system 

and The Works Pro multi-use sealant and 

adhesive. With the ecoSeal system, the 

trade’s favourite sealant products are now 

available in a foil for use with a unique 

reusable sleeve, while The Works Pro can be 

used to seal, fill, and quickly bond virtually 

any surface, wet or dry – inside or out. 

For every televised Premier League fixture 

that features Geocel’s ecoSeal or The Works 

Pro advertising, the brand will be giving away 

a PlayStation 5 and FIFA 21 bundle. 

VICTORIAN SLIDERS CONFIRMED FOR FIT ‘21 

Sash window manufacturer, Victorian Sliders, 

has confirmed that it will be exhibiting at the 

rescheduled 2021 FIT Show this September. 

The fenestration sector’s biggest and most 

celebrated trade event had originally been 

planned for May. However, following the 

announcement of a third national coronavirus 

lockdown, the decision was taken to postpone it 

until September. 

Endorsing this move, Group managing director, 

Andy Jones, said: “I’m sure it wasn’t an easy 

decision to make, but we totally support the 

FIT Show in choosing to reschedule. If we’ve all 

learned anything in the last year, it’s that the 

pandemic is extremely unpredictable – and when 

the third lockdown was imposed in response to 

rapidly rising cases, it quickly became clear that 

an event of that kind just wouldn’t be feasible 

in the spring. In the long run, I actually think it’ll 

make for a more successful show. By the late 

summer, tens of millions of people around the 

country will have been vaccinated, and I suspect 

more will attend as a result. 

“After a year in which the usual business 

meetings and network events haven’t been 

possible, there’s a real appetite to get together, 

take stock, and see what the best fi rms in 

British fenestration have to offer in 2021... 

We’re looking forward to seeing customers and 

friends from throughout the industry at the NEC 

in September.” 

FIT Show event director, Nickie West, welcomed 

the news that Victorian Sliders will be exhibiting 

and added: “We are anticipating that there will 

be more new products on display than ever at FIT 

Show 2021, and we can always rely on Victorian 

Sliders to put on a show-stopping display of the 

latest sliding sash windows.” 

LINIAR RECOGNISED FOR COVID EFFORTS 

For select televised EFL fixtures that also 

include its advertising, Geocel will be holding 

a range of competitions to win prizes such as 

an MR052 Makita cordless radio, as well as 

some Geocel branded merchandise. 

To be in with a chance of winning, like the 

Geocel Facebook page to ensure you don’t 

miss the next competition in the series: 

www.facebook.com/GeocelUK/ 

PVC-U systems company, 

Liniar, has received 

recognition from the British 

Plastics Federation (BPF) 

for the support it has been 

providing to key workers 

during the Covid-19 

pandemic. 

In March 2020, whilst shutters 

were down and showrooms darkened, Liniar 

turned its downtime into an opportunity to make 

a difference with the provision of personal 

protective equipment (PPE) for key workers. 

This initiative saw the design, manufacture and 

donation of tens of thousands of protective face 

shields to NHS and front-line workers from the start 

of the pandemic and into 2021. 

Liniar has been recognised by the BPF in 

conjunction with The Worshipful 

Company of Horners for its work 

during these challenging times 

with a ‘Covid-19 Outstanding 

Achievement Award’. 

Group managing director 

for Liniar, Martin Thurley, 

said: “After what has been 

a challenging year for 

everyone, I’m honoured to accept the Covid-19 

Outstanding Achievement Award on behalf of 

the whole team at Liniar. It’s always been in our 

DNA to help the communities around us, and 

the pandemic accelerated this desire. We feel 

privileged to be in a position where we can make 

a positive difference.” 

You can learn more about Liniar’s PPE Initiative and 

order protective visors at: www.liniar.co.uk/ppe/ 

12 TI MARCH/APRIL PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST

Aluminium done 

the Emplas way 

• New range of AluK windows, doors, bi-folds and patios 

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Article Cover Story: Dakea 

A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR INSTALLERS 

Despite the construction industry currently facing some serious issues, installers still 

have plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future, says Paul Edwards, Dakea Roof 

Windows’ area sales manager. 

As the coronavirus pandemic enters its 

second year and both life and the global 

economy slowly re-open, we’re all looking 

forward to a return to normal pre-Covid life. 

But builders and installers continue to face a 

range of issues including shortage of products 

and materials, plus extended lead times and 

rising costs. There are also new demands from 

homeowners: whether that’s a shift in customer 

demands or wanting reassurance on installers’ 

eco-credentials. But our industry is known for 

its resilience and adaptability: whether it’s 

Covid-safe working or helping create beautiful 

home offices, Dakea customers have continued 

to work and help build great properties and 

renovations during one of the most testing times 

in history. As an industry, we know how to think 

creatively when facing upcoming issues in 2021 

and beyond. And Dakea can help every step of 

the way. 

Supply chains 

Last year saw a supply chain crisis for many in 

the construction industry including those installing 

roof windows. The industry saw not only increased 

material prices but also key shortages particularly 

in white goods, timber, tiling and PVC windows 

and doors. Installers told us at Dakea that they 

had a difficult winter that saw them working hard 

to locate the right materials for their project. The 

year started with longer lead times continuing 

due to transport delays, stretched global supply 

chains, greater shipping charges and rising prices. 

There is some evidence that port disruptions due 

to Brexit may be easing but the challenges to 

installers remain. For many 

the real problem of locating 

the correct materials, 

particularly roof tiles, roof/ 

slate batten and building 

plastics is time-consuming 

while rising costs makes balancing the books 

harder for many. 

We can help 

Installers and homebuilders have told Dakea 

they’ve had to get extra creative and work even 

harder to ensure their clients’ stock demands, 

including roof windows, are met: whether that 

means making new contacts or sourcing more 

locally. Dakea is always on hand to help with 

delivery of products so never hesitate to get in 

touch, whether you’re an installer or a merchant, 


if you’re struggling to get one of our products. 

We can track down the product you want, or 

recommend an alternative, from our UK warehouse 

or other merchants in the country. We can also 

deliver directly to you on-site, if that’s needed. 

We’re proud of our aftercare support and are 

always at the end of the line to help: whether it’s 

supply or lead times that are your issue. 

Growth areas 

There are many reasons to be optimistic as 

an installer in a post-Covid UK: a successful 

vaccination roll-out and extension of the furlough 

scheme until September 2021 in the Chancellor’s 

March budget are both pointing to anticipated 

increases in consumer confidence. The past 

year has also altered the way we live and work; 

experts are reporting many urban dwellers selling 

up to buy larger, semi-rural properties out of city 

and town centres. This, matched with increased 

time working from home, can only lead to a fresh 

demand for domestic construction projects. 

It feels like there are real opportunities for a 

successful 2021 and beyond for installers. 

Going green 

Another pressure for installers is an increased 

demand for proven eco-credentials. We’ve seen 

more customers asking for details of greener 

products and for a robust recycling policy. Dakea 

can offer installers all the information around 

this to ensure customers are happy: Dakea only 

use the highest-quality wood which is from 

sustainable forests that have been certified by 

the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC 

is an international, non-government, non-profit 

organisation dedicated to promoting responsible 

management of the world’s forests. This means 

that each tree cut down will be replaced by a 

sapling. Also, our production facilities are certified 

to conform to the ISO 14001 Environmental 

Management System standard. This means that 

everything we manufacture follows environmental 

performance requirements. Our factory also 

recycles wood waste for central heating and hot 

water. What’s more, our products are packed in 

recyclable cardboard boxes and all materials of 

secondary packaging like small plastic bags of 

screws are also recyclable so there’s minimal 

impact on the environment on that front. And 

don’t forget to reassure customers that installing 

a Dakea roof window makes the most of natural 

light and fresh air, therefore ensuring their home 

is more sustainable. 

Get in touch 

Dakea can help with more than just your order: 

we’re with you every step of the way, from 

choosing the right window, to helping you with 

installation and aftercare. 

Our Dakea.App allows you to earn rewards from 

Amazon gift cards to televisions while our Trade 

Matters free guides are full of useful information 

on topics such as how to generate new leads or 

take control of your finances. 

And our friendly and knowledgeable Dakea team 

are always on hand to offer support and aftercare 

service. 

Here’s to a successful 2021 and beyond for all 

of us... 

• Talk to your Dakea dealer about Dakea roof 

windows today or call us on 020 3970 5080. 

Contact Dakea: 

020 3970 5080 

www.dakea.co.uk 

@dakea_uk 



Contract The Business Talk Pilot Barometer 

REASONS TO BE OPTIMISTIC? 

Buoyant sales and the Budget’s housing market boost are good news for the window and 

door retail sector, according to Neil Cooper-Smith, senior analyst, Business Pilot... 

Business Pilot Barometer Edition 14: December/January/February 2020/2021 

“The latest Business Pilot Barometer shows that the market for windows and doors remained 

buoyant [in February] with sales activity up 10% on January, which itself recorded a 34% 

increase on December. This indicates the current strength of the market, albeit still down yearon-year. 

A comparison between February 2020 and 2021 shows a drop of 30% for example, 

however, it is important to note that sales figures February 2020 were recorded pre-Covid and 

without the complexities of doing business in Lockdown. 

“Lead generation is in this sense a more accurate measure of market performance. Leads 

in February this year remained high, holding steady at 111% up in February compared to 

December. Drawing a comparison for the same month in 2020, leads were down – but this 

time by only 9%. We’d argue against the backdrop of continuing restrictions, and a level of 

uncertainty which wasn’t present this time last year (albeit Covid-19 was looming on the 

horizon), the industry has reason to be optimistic about its prospects in the coming months. 

“And with pledges from the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in the Budget to extend the Stamp Duty 

Holiday – to the end of June from April – in line with the easing of Lockdown restrictions; as 

well as a commitment to under-write mortgages for first-time buyers of up to 95% of their 

purchase costs, the housing market can be expected to remain on an upward trajectory. This was 

evidenced last month when the average price of a home rose by 0.7% to £231,068 according 

to Nationwide, the highest on record, more than reversing January’s 0.2% drop. This took the 

annual growth rate to 6.9% from 6.4%. 

“With a first tranche of Stamp Duty housing transactions on schedule for the April deadline 

and another expected to follow in June, we believe demand for home improvement will remain 

high through to Q3 at the very least. The shift away from city centre living to larger semi-rural 

properties, also points to potential opportunities in home improvements. The success of these 

policies is dependent on the UK’s wider economic prospects, but these too appear to remain 

positive. The extension of Furlough to September this year in the Budget is likely to further 

boost consumer confidence – something already up at -23.0 in February, compared to 

January’s -28.0. This makes February’s result the best performance since March 2020, 

buoyed by the rapid vaccine rollout. 

“Despite the largest contraction in the economy for 300 years (10%), and significant job losses, 

the wheels of the economy have in most areas kept turning. As part of his Budget address, Sunak 

predicted 4% growth in GDP this year, and forecast 7.3% next year – which, with continuing high 

levels of activity, points to continuing demand for home improvements!” 

The Business Pilot Barometer offers a monthly analysis of the key trends 

defining window and door retail, drawing on real industry data collated 

by the Business Pilot customer relationship management system (CRM). 

Business Pilot uses cloud-based technologies to give installers complete 

visibility of every element of their operation from leads and conversions to 

job scheduling, cost of installation, service calls, and financial reporting. 

www.businesspilot.co.uk www.businesspilot.co.uk/barometer 

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Contract The View Talk from Certass TA 

WHAT PAS 2030 MEANS FOR US... 

Jon Vanstone, chair at Certass Trade Association, discusses the PAS 2030 review, what it 

could mean for our sector, and the need to redress the balance for SMEs... 

Once again, we are at a review point for PAS 

2030, starting this month with a short timeline 

to produce a draft document during May 

2021. The impact of this standard so far has been 

of little interest to glazing as the focus application 

to date has been on the insulation industry. 

Therefore, there has only been minor attention paid 

by businesses within the glazing sector to this and 

the other surrounding PAS documents such as PAS 

2035. 

However, with the advent of the Green Homes 

Grant (GHG) voucher scheme and the potential 

promises of future funding by Government for 

energy related work through BEIS, the interest in 

this standard has dramatically risen. 

If BEIS are wedded to this standard, and they are 

helping drive the climate change agenda in our 

country, we need to ensure that its requirements are 

as fair and usable as possible by glazing companies. 

Unfortunately for the SME fitters in glazing, the 

standard was amended in the 2019 version 

taking it away from a collective position for 

competence and into an area that demands quality 

management systems and qualifications. The 

2017 version accepted Competent Person Scheme 

MTCs, so those who complied for registering work 

for building control through CP schemes would also 

have been competent as regards PAS 2030. 

The aim in this undertaking was to cement 

qualifications as a must for all those working 

in sectors such as ours. Such a fundamental 

change should have been met with a proper 

impact analysis, as surely if it had, the amends 

would have been dismissed. Competence and 

qualifications are not the same thing and it is 

an unfair position on our sector to expect such a 

collective change to the dynamic of how we work. 

Other sectors, such as roofing, are working 

on equivalence positions where experienced 

workers and qualified workers are both aligned in 

assessment and then accepted by external bodies 

Jon Vanstone 

“I believe there is 

a potential silver 

lining with this latest 

review, due to the 

fact this review is 

also for PAS 2035” 

such as CITB and the Construction Industry Council. 

So once again glazing is playing ‘catch-up’ and 

we can no longer ignore the requirements of PAS 

2030 if we want to connect into future funding. 

Therefore, it is up to the bodies and associations 

who represent our sector to try and affect a 

suitable change that ensures competence whilst 

being attainable by the majority of businesses 

who are working correctly. 

Continual learning needs to be adopted throughout 

the construction industry so that those who install 

are always up to date with regulations and best 

practice. Assessments should be focussed on a 

combination of both the business and the person 

who installed the work, so that we can help those 

who are not at the right level through learning. 

Unfortunately, this PAS 2030 qualification 

requirement has served only to bring to market 

cheap qualification imitations, that look right 

from the outside but seem to deliver very little 

regarding quality. Qualifications gained entirely 

remotely in a technical industry should be viewed 

with great suspicion, and often the price is a 

great indicator of the true value. 

However, I believe there is a potential silver lining 

with this latest review, due to the fact this review 

is also for PAS 2035, which is based on the whole 

house retrofit position and the need for a ‘retrofit 

coordinator’ to oversee the work and the total 

energy benefits. PAS 2035 is part of PAS 2030 

and you cannot adhere to the 2019 standard and 

not comply with PAS 2035 too. 

With the requirement for a retrofit coordinator 

(RC) being seen as a benefit for the future, 

if these RCs are made to be entirely neutral 

from installing businesses, there creates an 

opportunity to increase their responsibility and 

accountability at the benefit of removing needless 

requirements from installers. If the energy related 

work is overseen through a process driven RC 

led delivery, then installers potentially need only 

show up on site and do what they do best. 

GHG allowed use of PAS 2030:2017 which 

aligned with the requirement of Competent Person 

Schemes. With a proper RC led provision and 

the appropriate protections and documentation, 

we may be able to return to this earlier position 

if we lobby correctly. This will bring our SMEs in 

to line with potential Government funding and is 

a position our industry associations should be 

looking to create for the good of our sector. 

We know that some big businesses will create 

separate companies to undertake retrofit work as 

a tied business. This may not be in the spirit of 

the rules but happens all too often. Nevertheless, 

independent RCs are bound to appear helping 

consumers, government and installers alike. 

Let’s hope that the review delivers some sensible 

practical changes aimed at enabling SMEs just as 

much as large contractors. 

Contact Certass Trade Association: 

01292 292 095 

certassta.co.uk 

@CertassTa 


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Regulations 

PREPARING FOR A GREENER FUTURE 

Phil Brown, European regulatory marketing manager at Pilkington United Kingdom, 

discusses the results of the first consultation on the Future Homes Standard and the 

changes expected to influence glass and glazing installers. 

Earlier this year, the government revealed 

ambitious plans that will see the average 

home produce around 75% fewer CO2 

emissions than one built to current standards 

by 2025. 

“It’s important that installers prepare for the 

tightening of Part L in England in 2022 and the 

introduction of the Future Homes Standard in 2025” 

The announcement followed a public consultation 

on the Future Homes Standard, which will be 

introduced in 2025 to future-proof new-build 

homes with low carbon heating and significantly 

improved energy efficiency. 

While 2025 may seem some way off, the 

announcement also highlighted some more 

immediate changes that will impact the 

construction of new-build homes from June 2022. 

As a stepping stone towards the full 

implementation of the Future Homes Standard, 

it was revealed that there would be stricter 

standards implemented to Part L (conservation 

of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations for 

new homes in England. 

The changes outlined are expected to see up to a 

31% reduction in carbon emissions compared to 

the current standard. 

It will achieve this by taking advantage of 

carbon-saving technology, such as low-carbon 

heating, while influencing improvements in 

building fabric standards. 

Minimising heat loss 

It is in this fabric first approach, where 

a buildings’ materials are prioritised for 

maximising energy efficiency, that glass 

and glazing will play a significant role. 

The new Part L regulation changes 

mean that Insulating Glass Units 

(IGUs) with higher thermal insulation 

specifications may be necessary 

for projects to help prevent heat 

loss through windows and meet the 

tighter regulations. 

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. 

Proposed changes to the minimum elemental 

standards for fabric performance – sometimes 

referred to as ‘backstop’ values – include 

reducing (improving) the window U-value from 

2.0 to 1.6 W/m 2 K. 

However, the expectation is that the U-value will 

have to be much lower than this to enable new 

dwellings to achieve the whole building minimum 

energy performance target. Strong hints were 

given in the Government’s impact assessment, 

which modelled dwellings based on window 

U-values of 1.2 and 0.8 W/m 2 K. 

Preparing for a greener future 

The proposed changes to Part L are just the start, 

with additional consultations for existing homes 

and commercial buildings already underway, as 

well as a new regulation for overheating in new 

homes. 

As we look to the future, it’s important that 

installers prepare for the tightening of Part L 

in England in 2022 and the introduction of the 

Future Homes Standard in 2025. 

To support building professionals we have 

developed a dedicated Part L online hub, which 

shares the latest information on regulation 

changes and advice for installers on choosing 

compliant glass. The hub can be found at: 

https://bit.ly/3bsAYW4 

Contact Pilkington UK: 

pilkington.co.uk 

@PilkingtonUK 


AS COMMITTED TO YOU, 

AS YOU ARE TO THE TRADE. 

DAKEA 

ROOF WINDOWS 

ARE BUILT 


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Take Five 

SKILLS IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

As many installers struggle to keep up with consumer demand, Anda Gregory, managing 

director of the GGF Commercial group of companies – which includes FENSA – answers 

five key questions on the fenestration skills shortage... 

1How high a priority is addressing the 

skills gap for the GGF Commercial group 

of companies? 

It is absolutely a high priority. One of the main 

issues that our FENSA Approved Installers – big 

and small – have at the moment is keeping up 

with high levels of demand that continue from 

homeowners because they can’t find enough 

skilled people to do the work. It’s a huge cause of 

frustration for them and, if we don’t collectively 

take action to try to bring more people into our 

industry and provide them with adequate training, 

the situation is only going to get worse. 

2What are you doing as an organisation to 

address the skills shortage? 

We’re supporting the Building Our Skills 

initiative to bring more young people into the 

industry. We’ve also set up the FENSA Training 

Academy in partnership with Total Support Training 

to provide a range of training courses for installers 

at various stages of their careers. We’re also about 

to launch a new PAS2030 readiness training course 

through Trade Engine which will be part-funded as 

part of the Green Homes Grant scheme. 

3Education secretary Gavin Williamson 

recently said that “too many people 

wrongly [believe] that studying for a 

degree at university is the only worthwhile 

marker of success”. Do you agree with this 

statement – and if so, has this issue had an 

impact on the fenestration sector? 

I agree that this is a huge problem for our 

industry. Too many parents encourage their 

children to go to university in pursuit of a 

professional and/or office job afterwards, even 

if they’re not academic and would really excel 

in a trade, or in manufacturing. As we all know, 

people can build fulfilling and well-paid careers in 

our industry and there’s a lot of opportunity, but 

there is still a negative perception of our industry 

being full of cowboys or ‘wide boys’, and a 

snobby attitude toward manual 

labour. We need to do more 

to dispel these myths and 

show that there are other 

routes than university to 

a rewarding, successful 

career. Having a skilled 

trade is a great option. 

4 

You sit on the GQA board 

as a FENSA representative. 

How is GGF Commercial/FENSA working 

with GQA to support the current fenestration 

recruitment drive? 

Firstly, our sponsorship of the Inspiring the 

Future campaign within Building Our Skills. This 

is a really important initiative as it’s a way of 

reaching young people to encourage them to 

consider our industry as a career. We have an 

industry full of passionate people who love it – 

that’s clear at any industry event. This initiative 

is a way for us all to go into schools – and it’s 

even easier now we can do it virtually – and 

speak about how brilliant our industry is, why it’s 

a great career, what different career paths there 

are, etc. The more people that sign up to do this, 

the more we’ll get the word out and start turning 

around the misconceptions about the window and 

door industry. We have to all be ambassadors and 

evangelists for our industry to make the change 

that’s needed with the skills gap. 

We’re also supporting each other in building 

other partnerships that will help provide training 

and qualifications for people who are new to the 

industry, or simply want to expand their skills or 

need a refresher. 

5 

What would you say to the younger 

generation to convince them to consider 

a career in fenestration? 

I’d start by asking what they see when they look 

at a window – not through a window but at it. I’ll 

explain that the glass is made 

of sand, and that windows play 

a really important part in each 

of our lives without us even realising 

it – from keeping us warm and dry in our homes, 

to cutting out noise from outside so we can get a 

good night’s sleep, to keeping us safe and secure. 

And with changing technology windows will be 

doing even more exciting things over time. Just look 

around at your cities and towns and you’ll see how 

glass is used to build the big, impressive buildings 

like the Shard and Walkie Talkie in London. 

We have such clever technology already that 

windows and doors play a really important part in 

helping the environment. Windows and doors have 

energy efficiency labels like fridges and washing 

machines through BFRC energy ratings. If everyone 

upgraded their windows and doors to higher bands, 

it would help make the world better environmentally. 

I’d then go on to explain the different types of jobs 

and how they’re all really important. For example, 

if you like being outside and using your hands, you 

could become an installer, if you like technology 

and science, you could work in an innovation 

department for a flat glass manufacturer or 

systems house. If you’re not academic there are 

loads of well-paid roles available where you will 

learn a valuable skill, whether it’s manual or within 

sales or customer services. 

Contact FENSA: 

www.fensa.org.uk 

@FENSAuk 

“Having a 

skilled trade is 

a great option” 


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Article Roof Windows 

INSTALLER-FOCUSSED INNOVATION 

Recently named as one of ‘1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain’, innovation is paramount at 

Keylite Roof Windows. Here, Tom Jarvis, the company’s national brand development manager, 

takes the hot seat to explain the company’s product offering – and the benefits for installers. 

Tell us about Keylite’s product offering... 

At Keylite, we offer a wide range of pitched and flat 

roof windows to meet the requirements and style of 

every home, and a variety of related products such 

as blinds, loft ladders and Sunlite tube systems, 

with a mix of both electric and manual products 

that we are constantly developing. 

What kind of projects do Keylite’s products get 

used on? 

Our project involvement is wide-ranging and 

always expanding across new markets – from 

single residential extensions and loft conversions, 

through to large scale commercial ventures such 

as schools, universities and hospitals. 

Why should installers opt for Keylite’s 

products over and above the competition? 

Keylite has always held installers’ wants and 

needs at the centre of its innovation and R&D 

processes; and as a result, we’re often told 

by Keylite installers that they find fitting our 

products faster, easier to install and with 

enhanced thermal performance benefits straight 

from the box. 

What is Keylite’s USP? 

We have such a variety of USPs across our range, with 

new and exciting products in development all the time. 

‘Integral Blinds Roof Window’ is a popular choice 

for educational and health sector applications; 

while installers warm to our ‘Flick-Fit’ brackets, 

which are all factory pre-installed; and 

housebuilders and architects find our integrated 

thermal collar appealing as it is a ‘straight out the 

box’ solution to enhanced thermal performance. 

Our other USPs include: 

• Sash hinge finger spring 

• Low profile installation 

• Top handle ventilation 

• Click-fit hood 

• Screwless flashings 

What support can you offer installers? 

One thing we truly pride ourselves on is installer 

support. We have a highly-skilled, experienced 

and technically knowledgeable sales support 

department and aftersales care team, as well 

as an agile and enthusiastic sales force based 

Keylite’s 

Tom Jarvis 

across the country, who have the ability to 

arrange first-time-installer site support programs. 

What colour and finish options can Keylite offer? 

We offer three internal finishes – our Polar White 

PVC and white painted polyurethane finishes are 

both moisture resistant, while we also offer a more 

natural lacquered pine finish. 

What impact has coronavirus had on Keylite’s 

operations and product demand? 

Initially, of course, it was a big shock – as it 

was for the whole industry, however, Keylite is a 

company that adapts quickly to changing market 

conditions, and each of us has adopted new ways 

of communicating and working. So, while demand 

during the first lockdown remained relatively 

stable due to the government’s decision to keep 

construction running, Keylite ran on a skeleton 

staff from home, servicing the continued demand 

and slowly reintroduced the sales force over Q3/ 

Q4 as this demand increased. 

How is Keylite dealing with the current supply 

chain issues that the industry is experiencing? 

It has been a challenging period, but I genuinely 

believe everyone in the construction industry 

understands the situation, and we are all facing 

the same or similar issues. At the beginning of 

the pandemic in March last year, we increased 

Continued on page 26 


Article Roof Windows 

Continued from page 24 

our stock holding which helped us successfully 

weather the storm under furlough conditions. 

While during the latter part of the year, there was a 

period of refocus and working hard to meet industry 

demand. It will be a challenging 2021, but we have 

a team of high quality people to handle it. 

Are there any new trends you’re currently 

recognising in the market and if so, how have 

you adapted your offering to meet them? 

As some people may know, Keylite is a part of the 

Keystone Group – the largest construction group 

in the UK, that preaches innovation as part of 

its DNA. With housing demand increasing, safe 

but quality shortcuts to quicker housebuilding 

is an area the group is currently focusing on. 

Smart Roof is already successfully building 

prefabricated roofs for national housebuilders, 

but there are other avenues the group is looking 

at too, such as technologies around thermal 

efficiency and the environment, which I believe 

will continue to be a strong trend in the future. 

In which areas of the business, if any, do you 

predict growth? 

I think the number of regional housebuilders 

has grown considerably over the past few years, 

which is great for market competition and choice. 

While the homeowner extensions and renovations 

market remains positively buoyant as well, and is 

set to continue to grow this year. 

What are your main concerns for the future? 

I don’t necessarily have concerns, as it’s 

accepted markets change all the time and 

businesses adjust accordingly; that’s how it is. 

It’s good to look back at previous concerns and 

learn from how the industry adapted or made 

changes to overcome them. 

Is the skills crisis a problem for you? 

I think the skills crisis has traditionally been 

a problem for trades – from an observational 

perspective, rather than a supplier’s. However, 

the construction industry does seem to be heading 

in the right direction, more funding is being put into 

apprenticeship schemes and businesses are working 

closer than ever with colleges and universities to help 

combat this problem and inspire the next generation 

of tradespeople. 

What are you doing as a business to reduce 

environmental impact? 

We are constantly evolving to become an ever 

more environmentally friendly and sustainable 

business. We are a part of the Forestry Alliance 

for sustainable pine, and our PVC windows 

are made from 100% fully recycled plastics. 

Last year we invested in our warehouse forklift 

operation to be fully electric and we are proud to 

have recently moved into a fully environmentally 

sustainable headquarters. 

Keylite was recently identified as one of the 

‘1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2020’ by 

the London Stock Exchange Group. Why do you 

think it won the award? 

From a personal perspective, it is that visionary 

attitude and not accepting the current way of 

doing things as the only way to do things. We’re 

not afraid of taking risks to challenge current 

processes with the aim of making it better and 

more successful. Keylite runs a forward-thinking 

operation driven by passionate people who want 

to succeed, which ultimately is what contributes 

to a successful economy. 

Keylite is approaching 20 years in business. 

Have you noticed a change in consumer 

attitudes over the years and if so, how does 

this impact on your products and operations? 

There have been major technological advances 

in how we make purchases and in particular 

how e-commerce has revolutionised consumer 

spending power. I think the building trade has 

embraced this, and that’s why we’re seeing the 

DIY and online sector of the industry continue 

to grow. 

Which trends do you think will shape the future 

of the UK economy? 

Keylite’s integrated thermal collar is a 

‘straight out the box’ solution to enhance 

thermal performance 

Technological advancements in manufacturing and 

production processes will always play a key part in 

the types of products and materials we use, and 

how we utilise them. For certain, we will continue 

to see a focus across the industry on environmental 

challenges, sustainability and developments in 

making building more thermally efficient and ecofriendly 

with lower energy consumption. 

Contact Keylite Roof Windows: 

01283 200 158 

www.keyliteroofwindows.com 

@Keylite 


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Window Updates 

CLEANER REBATES ARE 'THE STYLISH CHOICE' 

The Residence Collection says it has ‘set the design standard’ in premium PVC-U systems in terms of single 

and dual colour options, profile shape and the design of ‘cleaner’ rebates. 

According to the Residence Collection, typical glazing rebates in PVC-U windows and doors have changed little 

since the 1960s, with gaskets either rolled in or co-extruded onto the upstand of the outer frame. By design, R2, R7 

and R9 frames don’t carry any gaskets on the frame, they sit within the sash, much like the way in which timber 

windows are carefully constructed, helping to create the ‘easy clean’ rebate. 

When opening an R9 window, there is also the visual appeal of a fully laminated rebate, matching the colour and 

finish of the internal face. Both R2 and R7 feature seven different substrates so that the internal face has a closely 

matching through-colour too. The Residence Collection says that all of its window and doors, regardless of the 

design, are far easier to clean than standard PVC-U windows and doors. www.residencecollection.co.uk 

BURGLARY-RESISTANT WINDOW 

Roof window manufacturer, Dakea, has launched its first ‘burglary-resistant’ roof window, the KAQ Secure. 

Designed to deter would-be burglars, with ‘streamlined and modern’ looks, the KAQ Secure roof window boasts 

the following ‘rigorously-tested’ features: 

• P4A classified glazing which is extra secure and hard to smash. 

• Extra-long anti-theft screws that prove difficult for burglars to take out. 

• A pane that’s glued to the sash which makes dismantling the pane very difficult. 

• Reinforced hinges with screw bolts and nuts that strengthen the assembly. 

Paul Edwards, Dakea area sales manager in South West England & South Wales, said: “No window can be 

100% burglar-proof but we’ve used technology and our testing laboratories to ensure the KAQ Secure is one of 

the safest roof windows on the market.” Dakea.co.uk 

SINGLE SOURCE SUPPLY FROM EMPLAS 

Emplas has announced a significant ramping-up of its trade offer with the launch of a new aluminium window 

and door range. 

Unveiled this month [March], it gives its customers access to AluK’s leading range of aluminium windows and doors, 

in addition to its pre-existing F82 Luminia bi-fold offer. This includes the 58BW ST slim sightline window, including 

flush and heritage options; the 58BD residential and French door system, which also includes a flush option; and the 

BSC94 inline sliding patio, which goes as big as 6.5m. All, in common with Emplas’ PVC-U offer, are accessible through 

its online portal and Window Designer, allowing installers to get instant quotes and place orders online. 

Jody Vincent, sales director, Emplas, said its expanded aluminium range gave installers access to a highly 

competitive PVC-U and aluminium offer from a single supplier.” www.emplas.co.uk 

DECEUNINCK REVEALS THE POSSIBILITIES OF PVC-U 

Window fabricator, Everglade Windows, has said that its recent move to Deceuninck’s One Collection has 

‘opened installers’ eyes’ to the possibilities offered by high performance PVC-U. 

Everglade says it could see the huge potential in PVC-U flush sash windows and began looking for a partner to 

meet this demand. “Initially, we just wanted a flush system to complement our existing offering,” said director Jay 

Patel. “But when we started talking to Deceuninck, we saw it had an equally great range of other products – and we 

realised we could do everything with one system.” 

Jay added: “With One Collection, Everglade Windows offers a product that can hold its own with aluminium. A lot 

of our customers’ customers would normally turn their nose up at PVC-U, but they love One Collection. It has opened 

installers’ eyes to the possibilities of PVC-U.” www.deceuninck.co.uk 



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Contract Window Ware: Talk Xpert Advice 

BUYING DIRECT IS NOT ALWAYS BEST 

If you want the best price for a product, your first thought might be to go direct to the 

manufacturer. But, in his first monthly column for Total Installer, Window Ware business 

development manager, Karl Williamson, explains why that’s not always best course of action... 

You get better value by buying direct 

from the manufacturer – right? 

Not necessarily. It’s a common 

belief that the very best deals can be 

done by sourcing products straight from 

the people who make them. 

In many cases, however, it’s not that 

simple. Best value isn’t just about price 

alone. That’s only one aspect. Service 

should be a major consideration too, 

particularly lead times and minimum 

order quantities which can really dictate 

whether your purchase is a bona fide 

bargain or a cost-led compromise. Let’s 

take silicone as an example. 

Sourcing from 

specialist providers 

Just over two years ago, Window 

Ware partnered with Belgian-based 

DL Chemicals, one of Europe’s leading 

manufacturers of adhesives and sealants, with a 

heritage that spans more than 80 years. 

You won’t find a reXon office in the UK, so this 

partnership gives trade professionals in this 

country exclusive access to their highly rated 

range of CE marked silicones, foams, cements, 

fillers, and adhesives. 

The partnership also means that DL Chemicals 

can focus fully on what it does best – producing 

quality products capable of meeting ever stricter 

requirements, legislation, and standards, while 

Window Ware takes care of the distribution and 

concentrates on what it does best – getting 

quality products to customers, on time and in full. 

You only have to look at our latest OTIF score 

to see how dependable our deliveries really 

are. In January this year, despite global supply 

“Best value isn’t just 

about price alone. 

That’s only 

one aspect ” 

challenges, over 93% of order lines 

reached our customers the next working 

day. Now more than ever, customers 

need a reliable supply chain to keep their 

businesses productive and ensure they 

are constantly meeting deadlines. 

Window Ware’s spacious 36,000ft 2 distribution 

warehouse is ideally positioned in Bedford with 

the capacity to house over £2.5million worth 

of stock and thousands of different 

products. It’s our extensive range, 

carefully managed inventory and central 

location which enable us to offer next-day delivery 

anywhere in the UK – great news for customers 

sourcing materials on tight turnarounds. 

And unlike many manufacturers who only deal 

in high volumes, with Window Ware there’s no 

minimum order quantity, so customers can buy 

as many or as few cartridges as they need. 

So, as you can see, when it comes to sourcing 

silicone, and indeed many other installation essentials, 

it really does pay to buy from Window Ware. 

Silicone fit for the home improvement boom 

Our distribution partnership with the makers 

of reXon has also allowed us to tackle an issue 

in our industry that’s become increasingly 

noticeable in recent years – the lack of choice 

when it comes to coloured silicone. 

Since the early 2000s, there’s been huge growth 

in the style and variety of window and door 

products on offer. We’re now a world away from 

the time when 99% of windows sold were white 

PVC-U casements. Yet despite this trend, the 

range of readily available silicone colours in the 

UK has often been extremely limited. 

DL Chemicals, by contrast, was quick to react 

to the growth in coloured profiles and made the 

necessary investment early on to allow it – and 

us – to offer silicone products in a range of 

different shades. For example, our most popular 

silicone comes in 11 finishes off the shelf, 

including Irish oak, basalt grey and cream. 

In addition, certain sealants and adhesives 

are available as foil ‘sausages.’ This kind of 

packaging is not only cheaper to buy than 

standard cartridges, but empty sausages also 

take up much less room and cost 94% less to 

dispose of compared to traditional plastic tubes. 

As the world wages war on plastic waste, more 

ecological and economical packaging will become 

increasingly more popular. 

At Window Ware, we offer a full silicone solution 

to installation teams and trade counters across 

the country – so whether you need to seal, stick, 

fill or bond, whatever the application, we have a 

product to suit. 

Contact Window Ware: 

01234 242 724 

www.windowware.co.uk 

@WindowWare 


CERTIFICATE 12/4895 

LPS 2081: Issue 2 

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Aluminium 

A STELLAR SOLUTION FOR INSTALLERS 

The Stellar aluminium window and door system, from Epwin Window Systems, was 

designed to set a new standard for the domestic aluminium sector. Mark Austin, sales 

director (aluminium), discusses its unique features and benefits with Total Installer. 

Tell us about Stellar... 

Stellar is the multi-award-winning aluminium 

window and door system from Epwin Window 

Systems. Designed specifically for the domestic 

market, it delivers unique features that enable 

fabricators and installers to tap into the recent 

resurgence in aluminium. These include a reverse 

butt joint, which means products can be fabricated 

without dummy sashes or reverse adaptor profiles, 

and a pre-gasketed knock-in bead, which means a 

wedge gasket isn’t needed during installation. 

Why was Stellar developed? 

Stellar was developed in response to the growing 

retail market for aluminium glazing systems. The 

market has been strong for a number of years, 

driven by the popularity of aluminium bi-fold 

doors, however we have seen a relatively recent 

surge in demand for aluminium windows and 

residential doors. 

Despite the growing popularity of aluminium, 

very few systems have been designed to address 

the specific demands of the retail sector – slim 

sightlines, flush and contemporary aesthetics, 

minimal gasket lines, internally glazed as standard. 

We also saw an opportunity to design a system 

that is easy to install and removes some of the 

complexity that is associated with fitting aluminium 

products. By introducing a pre-gasketed, knock-in 

bead and a unique reverse joint into the frame, we 

have used our expertise to bring aluminium in line 

with PVC-U system installation, making Stellar more 

accessible and affordable for the mass market. 

What are the main benefits for installers? 

The slimline flush appearance is a huge USP for 

installers as Stellar is visibly different. It is the 

first window to offer fully flush aesthetics on both 

the internal and external face, which taps into the 

growing trend for high-end statement products. 

But the major plus for installers is the speed and 

ease of fitting. Stellar has been designed to install 

as you would a PVC-U product, so for installers 

looking to move into aluminium, the transition is 

seamless. The patent-pending knock-in beads 

make glazing quicker and leave a cleaner internal 

gasket line. The pre-gasketed beading has been 

popular with installers as it eliminates gasket 

over-stretch so allows installers to ‘fit and forget’, 

protecting both reputation and margins. And 

installers regularly tell us that a Stellar bi-fold door 

is around 45-60 minutes quicker to install than 

other three-pane aluminium doors too. 

What advantages does Stellar offer installers 

working during the Covid-19 pandemic? 

The innovative reverse-butt joint, which is unique 

in aluminium systems, means that all glazing can 

be carried out from inside the building removing 

any need for external access and associated safety 

risks. We have taken a ‘fitter friendly’ approach 

in designing the system, incorporating features 

such as face drained cills and frame profiles with 

flat backs which all help the installer to get the 

job done accurately and quickly. These design 

elements were to allow installers to fit more 

products in a day, but with the pandemic this has 

taken on a new level of importance by allowing 

installers to spend the minimum amount of time at 

a customer’s property. 

How has the pandemic affected demand 

for Stellar products and do you anticipate 

this changing in the future? 

There has undoubtedly been increased demand 

across the domestic sector as people have been 

looking to improve their homes and that has 

resulted in a sharp domestic boom following 

the first lockdown of 2020. More importantly, 

consumers have had time to do their research and 

‘me-too’ products simply won’t cut it anymore – 

today’s consumer wants more. Stellar is high-end, 

visually different and makes a real statement in 

any type of property. We have also seen exceptional 

demand for Stellar with customers choosing it 

over rival systems because of the unique slim and 

contemporary aesthetics and also due to the ease 

of installation. 

Why should installers choose Stellar over 

other systems? 

In a competitive market, installers need products 

that stand out to attract the attention of the 

consumer. Stellar is modern, visually different, 

innovative and designed specifically for the 

domestic market. So, if you are savvy installer 

wanting to make the most of the growth in 

aluminium products but with the ease of fitting 

PVC-U, then Stellar by Epwin Window Systems is 

the answer. 

For further information on Stellar: 

0845 300 9356 

www.stellaraluminium.co.uk 

@StellarAliSys 


We do things differently 

At Kestrel our supply of quality aluminium extrusions for the fabrication of windows 

and doors is a little different. With our advanced powder coating facility we can not only 

offer more than 1000 colour options but do so far quicker than the industry norm. 

Whatever your requirements Kestrel's technical knowledge, developed over more than 30 years, 

enables us to produce a variety of gloss levels and dual colours, all providing the highest standard 

of durability and colour retention to guarantee lasting performance. 

WINDOWS DOORS ROOFING SHOPFRONT CURTAIN WALL 

BRINGING LIGHT INTO LIVING 

www.kestrelaluminium.co.uk 

Tel: 0121 333 3575

Installation Guide 

7 STEPS FOR SMOOTH INSTALLATION 

AluFoldDirect’s head of Trade & Retail Sales, Chris Stretten, gives the low-down on how to 

fit aluminium sliding doors – part of the Everything Aluminium range that’s delivered in just 

two weeks... 

Aluminium sliding doors from AluFoldDirect 

are delivered in full-frame, right first time, 

ready to install. We’ll deliver your doors 

direct to site, anywhere in the UK. 

Before you start fitting, it’s always a good idea 

to check that you have everything you need and 

double check the size of the opening against the 

door outerframe, to ensure a good fit. 

7 steps to a smooth sliding door installation: 

1Fit the cill: 

Using the packers provided, ensure the cill 

is completely level. Once you are happy, bed 

on silicone and fix at the back edge through the 

thermal break into the brickwork. 

2 

Fit the door: 

To fit the door, position the sliding door in 

the opening, on the cill. 

• Use glazing packers in the corners of the 

frame to hold the sliding door in place and 

keep it level, plumb and square. 

• Check the outerframe is square by 

measuring the two diagonals – there should 

never be more than 1-2mm difference 

between the two diagonal measurements. 

• Screw fix through the thermal break (do not 

screw through the drainage holes). 

• The first fixing must always occur within 

150mm of each corner, and at no more 

than 600mm centres. Do not over-tighten 

the fixings and make sure you use packers 

around the fixings to prevent any distortion 

of the frame. 

• Fix the outerframe into the brickwork up 

both sides. 

• The fixed sash is delivered temporarily fixed. 

Undo the fixings to access the jamb and fix 

behind the sash. Slide the sash back into 

position and permanently fix. 

• Fix the head of the outerframe into the 

brickwork or steel above. 

• Double check the diagonals to make sure 

they are still equal. 

• Check that all leafs are running smoothly. 

3 

Fit the glass: 

Lift the glass into place and pack all sides, 

fit extra packers where required and refit 

the glazing beads. 

4Fit the push-in wedge gasket: 

To make fitting the gasket easier, use 

silicone spray or warm soapy water, especially if 

you are fitting on a cold day. 

• Over stack the gaskets to allow for a small 

amount of shrinkage. 

• The gaskets are designed for a tight fit, so a 

glazing shovel is recommended – we send 

one out with every order. 

5 

Fit additional items: 

Anti-lift Cap: Clip this into the prepared 

holes in the top and bottom of the sash. 

Buffer Stops: Install these to suit the required 

fully opened position, by screw fixing into the 

sash. Where required on triple track sliding doors, 

one of the buffer stops should also be fitted to 

the second sash to prevent the handle of the first 

sash hitting the second sash. 

6Fit the aluminium cover plates: 

Clip the aluminium cover plates in to place 

around the inside. The cover plates are only 

used on double track sliding doors. 

7Silicone: 

Finally, silicone seal internally & externally. 

Following these simple steps will ensure that the 

sliding door you install will operate smoothly for 

years to come, so you can avoid any unnecessary 

call-backs. 

For aluminium sliding doors delivered in just two 

weeks, call AluFold on: 01706 260 700. 

Contact AluFoldDirect: 

01706 260 700 

alufolddirect.co.uk 

@AluFold 


Delivering Certainty 

Everything Aluminium 

Delivered Fast 

£1.5 Million Stockholding 

Direct to Site 

Right First Time 

Call 01706 260700 

for a quick quote 

Bi-fold Doors | Sliding Doors | Windows 

Rooflights & Lanterns | Entrance Doors 

www.alufolddirect.co.uk

Customer Service 

KEEPING CUSTOMERS HAPPY 

Vista Panels explains why maintaining customer service is essential in testing times... 

Composite door manufacturer, Vista Panels, 

has recently updated its XtremeDoor 

composite door brochure with five new 

designs and various hardware additions. 

This, it says, is just another example of Vista 

making sure that its customers are happy 

during what has been a challenging 12 months 

in which the Wirral-based company celebrated 

its 25th anniversary. 

“2020 was a testing year for everyone and 

it was not the 25th year in business we had 

envisioned,” says Ian Smith, Vista’s business 

development and marketing manager. 

“There was, quite rightly, a lot of worry going into 

the lockdown about how consumers were going to 

be coming out of it, but as we now know, with very 

little for the homeowner to spend their cash on they 

turned to home improvements in a big way.” 

Vista saw both demand from retail and newbuild 

ramp up into the fourth quarter and 

with a mixture of pre-Brexit stockpiling and 

delays at Felixstowe port, there were some 

challenges getting product completed. Despite 

the challenges, however, Vista’s factory and 

distribution continued to get record levels of door 

sets out every day. 

New brochure – new styles 

A new year can mean fresh 

impetus for 

“It is vital we keep up our customer service 

levels, especially with the supply chain issues 

the sudden demand in volume created” 

homeowners and changing their doors to 

a different style can be hugely attractive. 

Vista’s composite door sales have gone 

from strength to strength since the launch of 

XtremeDoor in 2014 and the company has 

updated the brochure several times to keep 

ahead of door trends. 

Explaining the reasoning behind the new 

brochure, Ian says: “Even with everything that’s 

going on, you have to make sure your sales 

literature gets updated and revised every year. 

“With composite doors still being one of the 

number one products homeowners are replacing 

– either as part of a window package or a 

standalone statement – giving our customers the 

right literature is essential. 

“We have kept the brochure format the same for 

the past few years and decided to update it instead 

of redesigning it, which means our customers have 

something they are familiar with to navigate, while 

additions are always welcomed. 

“We have added three new traditional looking 

doors in the Farmhouse style and two new 

contemporary door styles which are hugely 

popular now. Again, we saw strong sales in grey 

and long bar handles so the brochure reflects that 

in its appearance, but a lot of people still want a 

country vibe too, so you need it to appeal to both 

the urban and rural market.” 

Looking ahead 

Vista has continued to invest in machinery as 

part of its strategy of ‘controlled growth’, which 

the company says, will put it in a good position 

for 2021 and beyond. 

Ian explains: “It is vital we keep up our customer 

service levels, especially with the supply chain 

issues the sudden demand in volume created. 

For instance, we brought all our staff back 

from furlough on May 5th and since then have 

taken on an additional 20 members of staff. 

Communication is key to a good suppliercustomer 

relationship and we do our utmost to 

speak to our valued customers regularly. 

“There are a lot of unknowns going into 2021 

in terms of how the public are going to spend. 

The UK has started the year in lockdown with 

the existing furlough scheme still running, so 

consumer confidence and demand is still strong, 

but how that changes when the scheme ends will 

be interesting. But we are, as always, well placed 

to adapt as we have done for the last 25 years.” 

Contact Vista Panels: 

01516 081 423 

www.vistapanels.co.uk 

@VistaPanelsltd 


Fast-forward to clear, easy 

IBG and insurance cover 

from a broker who’s on 

your side. 

installsure.co.uk/apply

Updates 

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

VBH GETS SMART WITH NEW ELECTRONIC HANDLE 

Hardware supplier, VBH, has added the Q-Smart electronic smart handle to its range of premium quality 

window and door hardware and furniture. 

It’s a keyless product which gives the homeowner three methods of gaining access. The first is a proximity 

fob that communicates with a reader built into the handle unit; the second is via the Blusafe app that allows 

the user to use their mobile phone as a key, and the third is fingerprint recognition. The app enables the main 

user to send permanent or temporary timed keys to people’s phones. 

VBH says that this eliminates any need to lose control of physical keys by leaving them with neighbours 

or in a ‘safe’ place’. The app has the added benefit of keeping a log of operations, thus providing visitor 

management records. Q-Smart is fully tested at BSI and certified to ETSI TS103 645 (CYBER; Cyber Security for 

Consumer Internet of Things). www.vbhgb.com 

ACCOLADE FOR THE DOOR COMPANY 

The Door Company Stafford is the latest installation company to be awarded ‘Installer of the Month’ by 

Endurance Doors, the premium solid timber core composite door brand. 

Each month, Endurance Doors picks out an installation business that it feels is worthy of the accolade based 

on ‘continued progress, homeowner feedback and outstanding customer service’. 

Claire Heywood, managing director of The Door Company Stafford, commented: “We’re thrilled to receive this 

award, but at the same time, must give considerable credit to Endurance Doors. They are an exceptional supplier, 

offering what we believe is an outstanding composite door, packed with unique product features. 

“The product is a joy to install according to our fitters and there’s also no worry of any callbacks, so we can 

enjoy the benefits of further referral sales.” endurancedoors.co.uk 

FULL PROTECTION FROM NEW ORION 3-STAR BARREL 

Hardware specialist, VBH, has added to its family of greenteQ profile cylinders, having introduced 

the new Orion 3-star barrel. 

Orion is tested to TS007 and is rated as a 3-star profile cylinder. This means that it offers full protection 

against drilling, picking, bumping and snapping without the need for any additional support such as a 

security handle or shroud. 

Orion is supplied with five Q-branded dimple keys for the standard individual cylinders and is available 

in nickel and brass finishes in key/key and thumb turn variants. VBH advises that keyed alike pairs and 

suites are also available. The thumb turn itself features a button that releases the cam from the inside 

after the interlocking mechanism has activated following a cylinder attack. This ensures that the door can be opened quickly from the inside. www.vbhgb.com 

ENDURANCE ETNA DOOR IS INSTA-FAMOUS 

Endurance Doors’ latest Instagram case study comes courtesy of the ‘life_down_our_lane’ renovation project. 

Beth Young and her husband Matt wanted to create a beautiful family home in a quiet Hampshire village, but one 

that’s in keeping with the traditional features of the original property. The Instagram account documenting the couple’s 

project now boasts more than 15.3k followers. 

Through the combination of colour swatch, brochure and online Door Designer, an Etna door from the Classic Collection 

was chosen by the couple in French Navy, with matching side and top lights and a grained white finish to the inside. 

Brass hardware was chosen to help maintain the traditional feel of the heritage inspired door. 

Beth Young commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled with our new door and even our insurance premiums have fallen 

because of this investment.” endurancedoors.co.uk 



www.vbhgb.com 

ORION 

proteQ10 

PREMIUM 

PREMIUM

Contract Manual Handling Talk 

KEEPING A HANDLE ON SAFETY 

As Bohle MD Dave Broxton explains, the increase in larger, heavier glass units has 

highlighted the importance of manual handling equipment that is fit for purpose... 

There has been a noticeable increase in the 

volume of oversized glass units installed 

into residential properties,” says Dave 

Broxton, MD at Bohle. “This can be attributed to 

the continuing trend for large bi-folds and sliding 

patio doors, especially on high-end residential 

projects, that deliver on homeowner demand for 

‘floor to ceiling’ glass. 

“In the past, installations that featured 2.4m 

by 2.5m units used to be unusual but now it’s 

common to see projects that incorporate units as 

big as 3m! 

“And it’s not just the growth of inline sliding 

patios and bi-folds that has driven up the size of 

glass units, the demand for balustrades and internal 

glass partitioning has also increased,” he continues. 

“These may not be quite to the same scale, but 

the sizes are still substantial. Ultimately, this 

should be seen as a positive for the industry, 

but as the size of glass has increased, so 

has the weight – and it’s this that presents 

challenges, not just for individual fitters and for 

the installation companies they represent, but for 

glass processors as well. 

“For fitters, these challenges are clear – how 

do we get these large and very heavy products 

into place without dropping them or injuring 

ourselves? For employers, the Health and Safety 

Bohle’s Dave Broxton 

“For fitters, the challenges are clear – how do we 

get these large and very heavy products into place 

without dropping them or injuring ourselves?” 

at Work Act states that they are responsible for 

ensuring employees and members of the public 

are kept safe as far as reasonably practicable, 

and this includes from risks presented by hand 

tools and work equipment. 

“Ultimately, employee safety is the most 

important factor,” says Dave. “But if equipment 

fails and product is damaged as a result, then 

there’s also the risk to reputation to consider, not 

to mention the additional stress of delays and 

extra costs. 

“Put simply, when it comes to the manual 

handling of glass, a poor piece of equipment is 

worse than no equipment at all.” 

Dave’s comments follow the recent figures published 

by the Health and Safety Executive that reveal 

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693,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury in 

the period 2019/20, with 19% of those injuries 

attributable to handling, lifting or carrying. 

This is in addition to the most recent stats on 

handling-related injuries in the glass and glass 

processing sector that found handling related 

injuries accounted for 41% of all injuries reported 

– three times greater than tripping – with flat 

glass handling accounting for 21% of incidents. 

Safety first 

Bohle offers a comprehensive range of manual 

lifting equipment, from the LiftMaster B1 – a 

versatile yet compact solution that is particularly 

suitable for fitters working alone, as it can handle 

weights of up to 180kg – to the company’s range 

of Veribor pump-activated hand suction lifters. 

Designed and manufactured by Bohle to make 

the manual handling of glass and sheet materials 

safer and easier, Veribor is a well-established 

product line that is engineered to perform with 

a minimum 2:1 safety margin in order to more 

accurately reflect real world usage. 

Veribor also offers the additional reassurance 

of being approved by TUV. As an 

independent test accreditation, 

the TUV GS mark ensures 

that all relevant 

Veribor products 

meet the strict 

quality and safety 

requirements set 

out in the German 

Product Safety 

Act, which is widely 

regarded as setting the 

benchmark in safety 

testing. 

“Veribor is one of 

our best-selling 

product lines,” says 

Dave. “They’re popular 

because our customers 

can trust them, they know that 

they will do the job they are designed to do. That 

trust stems from the fact that Bohle won’t rest 

on its laurels, it is committed to ongoing R&D 

and continual improvement across its product 

ranges, even for well established, tried and tested 

offerings such as Veribor.” 

“Put simply, when it 

comes to the manual 

handling of glass, a poor 

piece of equipment 

is worse than no 

equipment at all” 

An example of that research and 

development is a special 

customer group, set up 

to provide feedback 

on how Veribor 

performed in real 

life situations, and 

contributing to 

significant upgrades 

to both the overall 

performance and service 

life of the Veribor 601 and 

Contact Bohle: 

0800 616151 

www.bohle.com 

601G pump activated 

hand suction 

lifters. 

The improvements, 

which include 

wider gaps between 

the sealing lips to help 

stabilise the outer edge of the 

rubber suction discs, have resulted in faster 

suction and release times, a greater resistance 

to dirt and dust, plus the addition of a protective 

‘bumper’ to defend against damage, for instance 

from sharp glass edges. They’ve also helped 

improve the efficiency of the Veribor lifters on 

non-glass surfaces, such as stone or metal. 

The Veribor 601 and 601G pump-activated 

hand suction lifters are both suitable for load 

capacities of up to 120kg and come with a high 

visibility vacuum gauge. This is designed to 

prevent injuries and damage that could occur 

from any loss of pressure, by giving users a clear 

indication of the strength of the vacuum and 

suitability for lifting. 

“First and foremost, it is an issue of health 

and safety,” concludes Dave. “Given that they 

are increasingly handling larger, heavier units, 

installers and installation companies should have 

total confidence that the equipment they are 

using is up to the job. With Veribor, they can be 

100% assured that it is fit for purpose.” 

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ROOF LANTERN 

INSTALLER POINTS 

The Korniche Lantern comes delivered with comprehensive step by step fitting instructions to 

make installation as simple as possible. You could be for forgiven for thinking that when on-site it’s 

not always that straight forward…So here are 20 points Made for Trade have put together to show 

how you could really be - fitting in minutes - glazing in seconds.... and having a brew before you 

know it! 

1 

2 

3 

Made for Trade have ensured that your 

Korniche Lantern arrives well packaged 

to minimise the chance of damage. The 

downside is on occasion it might take 

longer to unpack the components than 

to install the lantern, but an undamaged 

product can only be a good thing! 

Always use a safety blade to unpack 

the parts to avoid scratching the profile 

surfaces. 

Korniche Lanterns are delivered with full 

colour instructions and a layout plan. When 

all the parts are unwrapped, carefully check 

before you start the installation to ensure 

all the components are present. 

4 

5 

6 

Ensure the prepared roof upstand is flat, 

dry and free of any debris. MFT advise a 

minimum of 150mm high and 69mm in 

width, providing t right base for the eaves 

beam of the lantern to be fixed down to. 

Made for Trade use quality hex bolts and 

so they provide the hex key for bolt fixing 

in the parts box. The tools you need to 

complete the job are a silicone gun, knife, 

soft mallet, screwdriver, Cordless Drill and 

some snips. 

Getting started.. Lay out the eaves beams 

and locate using the plated steel corner 

brackets 

7 

8 

9 

Temporarily secure the eaves beams 

corners with the tie wraps provided (to be 

cut off later on), this allows the eaves to 

be safely turned over and sealant applied 

to the underside prior to placing on the 

upstand. 

Carefully turn the connected eaves beams 

upside down ready to apply sealant to the 

underside of the assembly. 

Apply the sealant liberally to the areas 

indicated in the instruction manually only. 

Now, and this is important.. PUT THE 

SILICONE GUN DOWN, really… It’s the last 

time you’ll need it. 

N 

p 

t 

t 

p 

t 

44 TI MARCH/APRIL 2021 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST 

Total Contractor_Small Projects DPS_Korniche Install.indd 2-3

10 

Once complete, turn the eaves beams back 

over and place them carefully on to the 

upstand ensuring it sits square, level and 

centralised. Don’t screw it down yet! 

11 

Now to build up the frame. A quick check 

to ensure the chimney nuts are positioned 

correctly over the holes in the hips is 

worthwhile before locating the beams 

over the boss. Be sure to check the correct 

fasteners are used, and always torque bolts 

as indicated in the installation guide. 

12 

Carefully place the completed lantern 

frame into the eaves beam, gently push 

it down and visually check that the holes 

in the frame and end bosses are aligned 

before moving on. 

13 

Install the 20mm bolts through the red 

isolating caps which, when tightened, will 

fully align the frame. Fasteners should be 

torqued as indicated in the installation 

guide. Once these are fitted you can 

remove the cable ties. 

14 

Double check the frame is still set square 

on the upstand. Now the assembly is fully 

aligned you can fix it down to the upstand 

using the pre-drilled holes in the lantern 

frame and the supplied screws. 

15 

Firmly press the glazing retainer on to the 

glass edge ensuring the self-clean coating 

is the correct way round. It’s important to 

check that the retainer is central across the 

glass unit, with equal glass overhang at 

each side. 

16 

Position the top of the glass unit against 

the ridge T-bar, ensuring the panel is 

central, let the unit rotate down onto the 

seals until the retainer clips into the eaves 

beam. Check to ensure the clip features are 

engaged and the glass cannot slide down 

the roof. 

17 

Once all glass panels are in place, locate 

the inner and caps between the retainers 

and secure with the plastic fir tree clips. 

Use a soft mallet to make sure they are fully 

in place. 

18 

Time for the top caps, you’re nearly there 

now. Start with the ridge and then work 

down through the hips and finally the 

rafters. Ensure the top caps are aligned 

correctly into the clip before firmly pushing 

into place. 

19 

Next it’s the outer end caps, slide the 

plastic fir tree clips into the slots and push 

the cappings into position, use a soft mallet 

to get a nice tight fit. The final piece of the 

puzzle are the Boss top caps, simply line up 

the pins and push into place. Done. 

20 

One last point, hopefully you 

put the silicone gun back in the 

van after point 9! DO NOT ADD 

silicone to any drainage holes, 

the glass or the gap between the 

eaves and upstand! 

It really is 

that easy to 

get the Perfect Finish 

with the Korniche Lantern….. 

now best get that kettle on… 

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR FOR THE THE GLAZING GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST 

MARCH/APRIL 2021 TI 45 

12/02/2021 11:53

Solid Roof Systems 

WHY DROP-IN GLAZING'S AMAZING 

Having taken the conservatory roof market by storm with the 2019 launch of SkyVista – a 

high-performance solid tiled roof with full-length glazed feature panels – Supalite explains 

how a new development has made it easier than ever to install… 

SkyVista, the hybrid roof system that 

combines SupaLite’s lightweight tiled roof 

product with high-performance glazed 

panels, has proved ever-more popular with 

SupaLite’s approved fabricators and installers 

since it was first launched two years ago. 

And that high demand is set to rise, thanks 

to some changes the conservatory roof 

manufacturer has made, that make the system 

even easier to install. 

SkyVista now comes as a glazing cassette, which 

means the glass units can be lifted and dropped 

into place, making installation as easy as 

possible for installers. 

Steve Hacking, SupaLite’s managing director, 

explained: “Our kit-based roof systems have been 

hugely popular with our installers, but we wanted 

to make things even easier for them. 

“Fitting the glass is where installers can lose time 

and money. Now the glass units can be dropped 

into place whole, the installer will be able to spend 

less time on-site and improve their profit margins. 

It should also mean less mess on-site too. 

“At SupaLite, we’re always looking for ways 

to improve our products for the benefit of our 

customers and we are expecting a positive 

response to the changes and increased demand 

for SkyVista.” 

Solar control 

The ultra-clever SkyVista has excellent U-value 

properties and effective solar control, meaning 

homeowners can regulate the temperature of their 

conservatory whilst allowing plenty of natural 

light to flow through. 

Another plus for homeowners is that there is no 

maintenance involved as the SkyVista glass is 

self-cleaning. 

The SkyVista has a full array of design options, 

can be configured to numerous conservatory 

styles, including Edwardian, Victorian and 

Lean-to, and comes in two colour options, blue 

and neutral. 

In addition to slate roof tiles, SkyVista is also 

available with SupaLite’s ExtraLight textured steel 

tiles, which not only offer exceptional strength 

and durability but are much faster to fit – saving 

time on site. 

“A craving for natural light from homeowners, and 

a desire to be able to have a conservatory that 

will be cool and comfortable in the summer and 

warm in the winter, means that SkyVista is an 

attractive prospect, particularly as many will have 

converted their conservatory into a home office or 

home gym,” added Steve. 

Even better service 

For Preston-based SupaLite, recent 

enhancements to its service offering include a 

£300,000 investment in a new Haffner machining 

centre, coupled with new manufacturing software 

to increase efficiency. The strengthening of its 

team by 30% has also continued to see SupaLite 

lead the way. 

And while companies large and small are feeling 

the pressure as lead-times are extended and 

service levels drop, SupaLite customers are still 

being offered 7-10-day lead times. 

“We have worked hard to provide our trade partners 

with the products and customer service that will 

help them grow their business,” said Steve. 

“Providing homeowners with the unrivalled 

thermal performance of a SupaLite system, whilst 

also benefiting from higher levels of natural 

light, SkyVista offers a fantastic opportunity 

for ambitious installers, giving them a highperformance 

system that’s highly desirable and 

incredibly easy to manufacture and install.” 

SupaLite tiled roof systems are fully accredited 

for Building Regulations approval and offer a 

cost-effective solution that converts traditional 

conservatories into useable living spaces allyear-round. 

Contact Supalite: 

01772 828060 

www.supaliteroof.co.uk 

@SupaLiteRoofs 


GUARANTEED 

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While competitors are feeling the pressure as lead-times are extended and service 

levels drop, our customers are still being offered 7-10-day lead times. 

Continuing to deliver the level of service our customers have come to expect is hugely 

important to us and offering a quick lead time is even more important 

with demand at record levels across the industry. 

We continue to show why we have a reputation as the UK’s leading replacement roof 

solution, trusted by fabricators and installers and recognised by consumers. 

With SupaLite investing in a new Haffner machining centre and software our 

manufacturing capacities have increased by 35% in 2020 

SupaLite have also been strengthening its team with 15 new starters in the last couple 

of months, SupaLite continues to lead the way, don’t delay call SupaLite today. 

180-181 BRADKIRK PLACE, WALTON SUMMIT, PRESTON, PR5 8AJ. 

WWW.SUPALITEROOF.CO.UK | 01772 828060 | SALES@SUPALITEROOF.CO.UK

Updates 

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

HOWELLS RALLIES FOR ICKWORTH SQUASH COURT 

As part of a major conservation project 

to repair the roof of Ickworth, which 

is cared for by the National Trust, 

Howells Patent Glazing has supplied and 

installed a replacement glazed roof with 

vents for the historic squash court. 

Howells was appointed by main contractor, 

Messenger, as one of the skilled specialists 

selected to see the wider ‘Ickworth 

Uncovered’ project through to completion. 

The biggest conservation works Ickworth has ever seen, the task included 

mending leaks, re-tiling the iconic Rotunda roof, improvements to the East 

Wing roof and added lightening protection. 

The Black Country-based patent glazing specialist designed and 

manufactured the replacement glazed roof for the squash court of the 

Italianate Palace using its HG1 type patent glazing system. The new glazed 

roof measures 9.5m x 4m on plan and is pitched at 30º. 

It was critical that the glass was as close to the thickness of the original 

for structural and aesthetic purposes, so Howells utilised 9.5mm laminated 

glass, single glazed, within 40mm wide aluminium glazing bars in a matt 

polyester powder coated finish in Cream RAL 

9001. 

Howells was also tasked with refurbishing 

the squash court’s manual operating gear 

for the opening sashes. The system was 

adapted to accommodate electric motors 

to create electrically operated opening 

ventilators, connected to a remote-control 

panel situated in a storeroom below. 

The new glazed roof with vents meets the 

requirements of BS 5516-1:2004 and BS 5516-2:2004 (patent glazing 

and sloping glazing for buildings). Due to the vulnerability of the building 

and the collections housed within, speed and accuracy were vital for 

‘Ickworth Uncovered’. The project schedule benefited from Howells’ 

commitment to assembling each rooflight in its factory prior to dispatch, 

helping to ensure an accurate fit. The replacement roof was delivered in 

kit form with pre-drilled holes, making for a quick installation. 

‘Ickworth Uncovered’ was completed in 65 weeks, using more than 7,000 

Westmorland slate tiles and 270 miles of scaffold. 

www.howellsglazing.co.uk 

SEH BAC LOOKS TO EXPAND TEAM AFTER 1M WEEK 

Home improvement company, SEH BAC, has celebrated smashing 

£1m in sales in a single week in January – a record for the South 

East company. And with the home improvement industry still 

buoyant, the company says demand shows no signs of slowing down. 

With a product range including PVC-U, aluminium and timber windows, 

doors, conservatories, solid roof extensions, replacement conservatory 

roofs, verandas, orangeries and roofline, SEH BAC saw a huge rise in the 

number of sales in the second half of last year and that has continued 

into 2021. 

The company has also scooped several awards recently, including the 

Emplas 2020 Best Showroom Awards and Ultraframe’s Installation of 

the Month. 

Due to increasing demand, SEH BAC is looking to strengthen its team of 

installers and builders in the Oxford, Reading, Milton Keynes, Maidstone, 

Dartford, Basildon and Ipswich areas. 

MD Peter Wheeler said: “We are looking for experienced window, door, 

and conservatory installers and experienced builders to help cope with 

this increasing demand. 

“We have more than 50 years’ experience installing to homes in 

Suffolk, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, 

Cambridgeshire, Kent, and Essex, and we want to continue that proud 

tradition.” 

SEH BAC operates 13 showrooms across East Anglia, the South East and 

the Home Counties and is part of multi-million-pound Ipswich-based 

One Group Construction, a £160M group of specialist companies which 

complete major infrastructure and construction projects across the UK. 

www.sehbac.com 



sales@britmet.co.uk | 01295 250998 | www.britmet.co.uk | #TheBritmethod 

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Contract Product Quality Talk 

AUTOMATIC BENEFITS 

Aluminium manufacture is changing as fabricators like Sternfenster invest in automation 

of process to deliver not only increased product quality, but new consistency of 

manufacture. Total Installer explores the advantages this offers for installer customers. 

Sternfenster’s Mike Parczuk 

The Window, Door and Conservatory 

Markets in Housing in Great Britain report, 

by Palmer, has tracked rapid growth in 

aluminium, with strong consumer demand for ‘bifolding 

doors leading to a wider ‘pull-through’ of 

product including aluminium windows, entrance 

and inline sliding doors. 

This includes growth at the last count 26% 

in volume terms and installed value by 28%, 

pointing to growth in not only residential demand 

for aluminium products but commercial and new 

build sectors. 

Yet quality and reliability in aluminium supply 

hasn’t, according to commentators, kept pace, 

with manufacturers overly reliant on manual 

process and with it, variation in product quality. 

Something which they argue can only be 

addressed through automation of process. 

“People aren’t consistent,” says Mike Parczuk, 

managing director of Sternfenster. “It’s what 

makes us who we are, however skilled the 

operative, we all make mistakes. It’s human. 

“But there are consequences to that in the form 

of product quality and lead times. If we can 

eliminate the room for error from key processes, 

we can make manufacture flow far better down 

the line.” 

This has driven Sternfenster’s approach 

to manufacture, applying principles of 

highly automated manufacture, echoing 

those established in its PVC-U operations, 

to aluminium, to drive forward increased 

consistency in product manufacture. 

“If you look at a PVC-U line and compare it to a 

standard aluminium set up, the contrast is stark. 

Aluminium companies are smaller and heavily 

reliant on labour,” Mike continues. 

“The skill levels may be high, but that model 

doesn’t allow you to deliver repeatable quality in 

manufacture.” 

Sternfenster’s aluminium offer includes the 

Visoline aluminium bi-folding door, manufactured 

in the Smart Visofold System, and inline sliding 

doors fabricated in Smart Visoglide, plus the 

Alitherm300 window. 

These are manufactured in the fabricator’s 

£3.6m dedicated aluminium manufacturing 

facility. It opened in 2017, filled with cutting-edge 

technology, including a FOM LMT65 cutting and 

machining centre, as well as its own powder 

coating line. 

“It’s the consistency and repeatability of quality 

that delivers the real advantage to our customers” 

This, Mike argues, has supported Sternfenster in 

combining increased product quality with greater 

volume and flexibility in delivery, something 

further expanded this autumn when it added a 

Schirmer ALU BAZ Composite Orbit-C machining 

and cutting centre to the start of its lines. 

“The FOM LMT and the new Schirmer bring 




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Product Quality 


a very high degree of precision to the start of 

our manufacturing processes”, he says. “The 

addition of the new crimper, allows us to carry 

that precision down the line, delivering increased 

repeatability in manufacture and ultimately, an 

enhanced end product.” 

Installed in November 2020, its new four-head 

Ever Theta frame crimping machine from FOM 

brings exceptional accuracy to manufacture, 

alongside significant efficiency gains. 

This includes using profile scanning technology to 

flag out of tolerance profiles of as little as 0.4mm 

out in length, or 0.9mm on the diagonal, bringing 

a very high degree of accuracy to 45º mitre and 

90º joints. 

In addition to bringing new precision to 

manufacture, the Ever Theta also cuts full-cycle 

times to as little as two minutes and 31 seconds 

– roughly half the time it takes using a traditional 

single head crimper. 

“We get more capacity out of it than our previous 

set up which was highly reliant on the skill of the 

individual operative,” Mike continues. “It’s the 

consistency and repeatability of that quality that 

delivers the real advantage to our customers. 

“It guarantees the quality of joints and 

squareness of frames. If profile is out of tolerance 

it rejects it. It allows us to pick up problems 

before they pass down the line, which makes 

our process better but also allows us to deliver a 

higher quality product to the end-user. 

“It’s not about ditching people, it’s about 

recognising where automation adds the greatest 

advantages in the ultimate quality of output to the 

customer.” 

This is borne out in Sternfenster’s recruitment 

of 30 new factory operatives over the summer, 

appointed as part of its long-term growth strategy. 

“People are still integral to what we do”, Mike 

continues. “You can always get more out of a 

machine. The limiting factor on your outputs are 

ultimately always going to be people. They’re key 

at multiple touchpoints in manufacture. 

“In taking them out of process critical to end 

quality, you instantly reduce your error rate, 

your remake rate, delays – things which directly 

impact on installers – at the same time as giving 

them a product which is easier to sell because 

the improvement on finish quality is tangible.” 

He argues that this will be a distinct advantage 

going forward, with pressure on supply and product 

quality, continuing points of challenge for installers. 

“I think we’re going to see many of the same 

challenges that we saw last year, continuing. 

Fabricators and supply chains will continue to be 

stretched with an inevitable impact on quality. 

“The model, investment and manufacturing 

processes that we have put in place introduce 

additional precision and safeguards.” 

“The improvement 

on finish quality is 

tangible” 

Contact Sternfenster: 

01522 512525 

www.sternfenster.com 

@Sternfenster 


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Article Key Trends for 2021 

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES 

With homeowners keen to invest in home improvements this year, installers should prepare 

to meet their needs. Here, Nick Cowley, managing director of window and door manufacturer 

Euramax, explores how current conditions have influenced five key trends for 2021. 

The Stamp Duty holiday (first announced 

in July 2020) has now been extended until 

30th June 2021 and it’s estimated that a 

third of people will spend the money saved on 

home improvements and renovations. 

With ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, many 

people will continue to update their home to 

make staying in more enjoyable and this, paired 

with housing policy changes, will impact on 

the demand for home improvements – from 

enhancing house aesthetics to increasing home 

insulation. 

Five key themes I see affecting installers as 

a result of the current social, economic and 

legislative conditions are as follows: 

1 

Increasing energy efficiency 

Every year as the weather gets colder, 

homeowners look to reduce bills while 

keeping warm. However, this economising 

action is being bolstered by the Government’s 

Green Homes Grant, which was introduced in 

September and will run until March 2022. The 

grant provides up to £5,000 to cover two-thirds of 

the cost of energy efficiency and low carbon home 

improvements. 

The investment must be used to install a primary 

measure, such as cavity wall insulation, but 

then can also be used on a secondary measure, 

such as double and triple glazed windows and 

external energy efficient doors. This provides a 

big opportunity for installers to deliver work in the 

600,000 homes that will receive vouchers. 

2 

Self-building 

Another major policy change that came into 

place in 2020 was that new homes will 

receive automatic planning permission in ‘Growth 

Nick Cowley 

“Enthusiasm does not 

equal skill... Brits spend 

£34 billion every year 

fixing DIY mistakes” 

Areas’, outlined in the Government’s Planning 

for the Future document. This change could see 

a rise in the number of self-built homes in 2021, 

especially as the document also specifies that local 

planning authorities should identify specific subareas 

in their Growth Areas for self-built homes. 

The Government is also looking at ways that 

publicly owned land disposal can support selfbuild 

sectors. These changes will allow selfbuilders 

to begin constructing their home faster 

and with fewer obstacles, therefore creating 

increased demand for installers of windows, 

doors and fences. 

3 

DIY 

However, the rising popularity of the doit-yourself 

ethos does pose a potential 

challenge to installers. 

Enthusiasm does not equal skill, with property 

portal Bayut finding that almost a fifth of the 

UK has experienced a DIY disaster. Additionally, 

research by Local Heroes, a platform created by 

British Gas, has found that Brits spend £34 billion 

every year fixing DIY mistakes. 

This highlights the need for professional installers who 

will get the job done effectively, and in many cases 

more quickly and cost effectively in the long run. 

4 

Grander gardens 

As well as home DIY, Britons increased 

their focus on gardening in 2020. In fact, 

a survey by Homebase found that the UK has 

planted 322 million more plants than in 2019. 

This renewed interest in gardening is expected to 


continue in 2021, as spending more time at home 

has highlighted the value of our outdoor spaces. 

However, plants are not the only way homeowners 

are looking to update their gardens. Other outdoor 

features such as fences, pergolas and balconies 

help to create a practical and enjoyable outdoor 

living space — providing a wealth of opportunity 

for installers this year. 

5 

Neutral colours 

As well as influencing gardening, 2020 has 

had a significant impact on the home colour 

trends for 2021. 

Every year, Dulux selects a colour that reflects 

global trends and a relevant mood and its ‘Colour 

of the Year’ for 2021 is ‘Brave Ground’, which is a 

warm, natural shade of beige. 

Brave Ground was chosen to reflect embracing 

change and moving forward in a positive way, 

“Outdoor features such as fences, pergolas and 

balconies will provide a wealth of opportunities 

for installers this year” 

with homes providing a solid and supportive 

foundation for new beginnings. 

With warm neutral interiors in vogue, installers 

can expect homeowners to want to carry this 

trend through to the exterior of the home with 

neutral windows and doors, such as those with 

wood, grey and white finishes. 

Trusted supplier 

To create a quality finish for your customers, it’s 

important to work with a trusted window and door 

supplier. Euramax has over 65 years’ experience 

in manufacturing, and all our products come with 

a 10-year guarantee. 

We produce windows and doors in a range 

of colours including neutrals such as white, 

grey and golden oak, with all products rated 

A for efficiency. 

Last year saw the start of a significant period 

of change for the home building and renovation 

industry and as the nation continues to renovate 

homes, installers should prepare to seize the 

new opportunities. 

Contact Euramax: 

0330 1340290 

www.euramaxuk.com 

@EuramaxDirect 



Lead Generation 

GUARANTEED LEADS IN LOCKDOWN 

Lockdown selling restrictions have proved problematic for some installers but the current 

climate does not have to stop them from winning home improvement work says sales lead 

generation service, Leads 2 Trade... 

Leads 2 Trade, the UK provider of doublequalified 

sales leads for companies operating 

in the home improvement industry, reports 

that it is getting thousands of enquiries a week 

from homeowners looking for windows, doors, 

conservatories, and conservatory roof replacements. 

Andy Royle, co-founder, and director of Leads 

2 Trade, said: “Since the focus has fallen onto 

our homes during last year’s lockdown, demand 

for home improvements has been sky high as 

homeowners spend their money on their homes 

instead of holidays, and this is continuing. 

“We are seeing a huge number of enquires a week 

and installers are missing out, particularly as we 

make it as easy as possible for our members to 

win work.” 

Quality assured 

Leads are phone qualified by Leads 2 Trade’s 

experienced in-house customer service team to 

guarantee the consumer has a genuine interest 

and requirement and is wanting a quotation, saving 

installers time and money. The lead is supplied 

with full accompanying notes including material 

type, colour preference and number of items, with a 

preferred time of day for the installer to contact the 

homeowner so they are expecting the call. 

The Stockport-based company has also scrapped 

the traditional model, used by so many other 

lead providers, of supplying a consumer with 

up to four no obligation quotes from installers 

from their local area, with its leads only going to 

www 

two installers, meaning the consumer gets the 

comparison quote they require and the installer a 

better chance of winning the work. 

When setting up an account with Leads 2 Trade 

installers can decide which postcodes and 

products they want their leads to cover, and they 

only pay on a per lead basis. 

“Since we formed Leads 2 Trade back in 2006 

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Andy Royle 

the digital lead generation market has changed 

enormously. However, there are some things that 

are constant and lead quality is at the top of that 

list,” said Andy. 

“And the reason we are out in front of our 

competitors is because we have always been able 

to guarantee that quality to our members.” 

Securing work despite the restrictions 

With door-to-door selling banned (at the time of 

writing), keeping the leads flowing in will be vital 

for installers, and Andy says becoming a Leads 2 

Trade member will guarantee that flow. 

“While it’s good news for installers that 

fittings for home improvements can continue 

during lockdown, the ban on door-to-door 

selling, particularly when demand for home 

improvements is high, will hit many installers 

hard,” added Andy. 

“Door to door selling makes up a big percentage 

of how regional companies and smaller installers 

obtain leads and having that avenue blocked off 

will be a concern, but we can provide them with 

all the leads they need. 

Free leads to get you started 

As an introductory offer for the start of 2021, 

Leads 2 Trade is offering installers that sign up to 

its network two free double qualified sales leads 

when they open a new account. 

“Despite the lockdown, Leads 2 Trade is still here, 

still operational, and still getting thousands of 

enquiries a week,” added Andy. 

“We have a strong network of installers who 

have become trusted local suppliers but there is 

plenty of room for more. Now is a fantastic time 

for installers of any size to join Leads 2 trade and 

benefit from the leads we are generating.” 

Contact Leads 2 Trade: 

0800 124 4308 

leads2trade.co.uk 

@leads2trade 

5 

Est. 1975

Updates 

'FLOATING' STAIRS LOOK 'SIMPLE AND EFFORTLESS' 

A ‘floating’ glass staircase was recently installed with specialist glass supplied by TuffX. 

As the staircase, with cantilevered floor treads, creates an optical illusion, appearing to almost float 

in mid-air, the toughened safety glass required to complete the job needed a CNC finish with completely 

smooth polished edges and dubbed corners, plus precision drilled holes along the bottom. 

The combination of minimalist glass, warm wood treads and contrasting stainless steel handrails and 

fittings create an elegant feature, while the staircase’s open risers combined with the glass transform 

the hallway into a bright, light and airy space. 

TuffX’s managing director, Graham Price, said: “Our experience as a leading safety glass 

manufacturer for over 25 years means whatever your project needs, you can be sure that from your 

first call with us to delivery direct to site, we’ll make the whole buying process as simple and effortless 

as the stunning result looks.” www.tuffxglass.co.uk 

EASY ONE-SIDED INSTALLATION WITH LA DEFENDER 

Warm edge spacer bar supplier, Swisspacer, has extended its range of solutions for glass in the 

UK with the launch of La Defender, a suite of high performance balustrade systems designed for 

residential and commercial applications. 

According to Swisspacer, the comprehensive range of balustrades combines ‘stylish looks’ with ‘easy’, 

one-sided installation. La Defender includes a number of options, from very slim 6x6mm systems for 

residential developments, through to 12x12mm systems with 3KN loads for the most demanding commercial 

projects. The systems are tested to British and European standards for glass barriers inside and outside 

buildings, with continuous gaskets maximising performance through the glass and anodised aluminium 

covers offering enhanced durability. en.swisspacer.com/products/canopies-balustrade-systems 

OAKIO PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INSTALLERS 

Katie Morley, MD at Ronjack Products, the UK distributor for Oakio composite wood decking, says the 

time to install decking is now, with winter garden projects trending on Google. 

Oakio composite decking is designed for use 365 days a year, with very little maintenance needed “other 

than a quick sweep-over.” Available in six colours, Katie says the decking is “barefoot friendly with no 

chance of splinters” adding that “you can pop the children out on the rainiest of days without fear of them 

slipping over, which means it’s great for grannies and grandads too!” 

For installation companies fitting garden rooms, extensions and conservatories, Katie maintains that Oakio 

is a great way to add extra work that is installed outside. This, says Katie, “means [installers] can make 

more profit from work that gardeners and landscapers might have picked up otherwise.” 

FREEFOAM 'OBVIOUS CHOICE' FOR PLASTIK PLACE 

Freefoam was “the obvious choice” for Phil Naylor and Kris Robinson when they set up 

roofline, rainwater and cladding specialist The Plastik Place in June 2020, with a trade 

counter in central Liverpool. 

Phil said: “We didn’t hesitate in choosing Freefoam as a supplier for The Plastik Place, as we’d worked 

with them in previous companies and our customers love Freefoam products. Freefoam gives us everything 

we need: a full product range and the right support and service. The team is great and our area sales 

manager is always on hand to help. As a new business, Freefoam has given us the support to build 

our brand, including marketing materials, POS and even advertising boards for the main road near our 

premises.” www.freefoam.com 



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Contract Installer Insights Talk 

'HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF' 

Daniel Collins, director at Certass member Daylight Installations, talks to Total Installer about 

confidence, Covid challenges, and his frustrations over competitors who sell their products 

for ‘next to nothing’... 

What was your path into the glazing sector? 

When I was younger I didn’t know what I wanted 

to do. My first job was in a sponge factory, 

but it was just to pay the bills really! I wanted 

something that would lead to somewhere, so I 

joined a fabricator, making the kind of windows 

and doors I now install. I worked my way up to 

factory manager, running the whole factory. From 

there I worked with other installation companies 

in roles such as installations manager and 

project manager. I always knew the money was 

in installations, so I started my own business, 

Daylight Installations. Our mission is to provide 

the best possible product and service at an 

affordable price. 

If you had one piece of advice about starting a 

glazing installation business, what would it be? 

Don’t put any restrictions on yourself. When 

you’re running a business, every job is important 

and small jobs can lead to bigger projects. And 

don’t ever be afraid of the bigger projects that 

come along – have confidence in yourself and 

your team. 

Tell us about a recent project… 

We replaced windows and doors at the Hockley Day 

Centre not long ago. We’re based in Hockley, so it 

was great to work on a project that’s a key part of 

the local community. We have had lots of referral 

business and recommendations from it too. 

You must have worked on some difficult 

projects over the years. Does one in particular 

stand out? 

There was a job where we were replacing the 

windows on some residential flats, and the 

supports for the bay window hadn’t been put in 

properly when they were built. We were there till 

8pm building new timber sections and installing 

them so that the window had proper support, but 

it’s always worth taking the time to get it right 

and do the best job. 

What’s the most frustrating thing about your job? 

“It’s always nice to get 

that extra recognition 

from a happy customer” 

Other people in the industry! It’s very frustrating 

when companies sell products for next to nothing. 

Explaining to customers that our prices are based 

on the best quality workmanship and essentially 

a service for 10 years after installation with 

our guarantees. We’ve had so many calls from 

homeowners who have gone for the cheapest 

offer, had windows fitted badly and when there’s 

a problem, the installation company doesn’t want 

to know. 

...And the most satisfying? 

When we are recommended by a customer, 

or they send through really positive feedback. 

A lot of work goes into delivering the service 

levels that we offer and it’s always nice to get 

that extra recognition from a happy customer. 

Recommendations and reviews are so important 

for helping keep our business going. It’s also nice 

when everything goes to plan! Having a day on 

site where there are no nasty surprises is always 

a better day! 

What’s the best social media platform for your 

business? 

Facebook. Especially since Covid-19 and Certass 

introduced the members forum. Having a direct 

line to the team is great because your questions 

get answered straight away. 

What’s the biggest issue currently affecting 

you as an installer? 

Covid-19 has had a massive impact on the way 

we work. We’ve worked around it, putting the 

extra systems in place to keep our customers and 

team safe. We’re doing all of our quotes online 

to reduce the number of visits we make to a 

property. But in this line of work, meeting people 

face to face is really one of the most important 

things – it’s much easier to chat through their 

options with them and give them the chance to 

decide if you’re the right person to do their work. 

My Certass membership has come in really 

handy. They’re used to putting these kinds of 

documents together and all the resources have 

been brilliant. 

Contact Daylight Installations: 

01702 813458 

www.daylightinstallations.co.uk 

@DaylightInstall 


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Makita: Tool Talk 

BEST PRACTICE FOR DUST-BUSTING 

With dust an occupational hazard for home improvement professionals, Charles Shaw, 

Hire & Construction division manager at Makita UK, outlines the dangers of dust 

inhalation and how installers can protect themselves and those around them. 

D 

ust, if not managed correctly, can have 

serious consequences for health. 

According to a recent Health and Safety 

Executive (HSE) report, it is estimated that 

around 12,000 deaths per year are caused 

by occupational lung disease. Those in the 

construction sector are at particularly high risk 

due to the nature of the work. 

Inhalable dust 

There are two key types of dust that installers 

may be exposed to in the course of their work. 

The first is inhalable dust, which is made up of 

visible, airborne particles that may be breathed 

into the airways and deposited in the respiratory 

tract. This form of dust can also irritate and 

damage the skin and eyes. However, when 

breathed in, these particles are usually captured 

and cleared naturally by the body’s mucus. 

Respirable dust 

The second type, respirable dust, is the finer, 

often invisible particles that can penetrate deep 

into the lungs and as such can be much more 

damaging. This includes miniscule particles of 

Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS), which is 

commonly generated from drilling, cutting or 

breaking stone, brick and concrete. 

Some RCS particles are 100 times smaller than 

the average grain of sand. When inhaled RCS 

can cause scar tissue to form in the lungs, in 

turn leading to silicosis. Prolonged exposure 

to respirable dust can also cause Chronic 

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and has 

been linked to cancer. It is estimated that around 

500 construction professionals die every year due 

to exposure to RCS. 

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 

(COSHH) 2002 regulations make it a legal 

requirement to protect against the risks from 

hazardous construction dusts. The best approach 

to minimising the risk, is to combine a dust 

extraction system with the correct Respiratory 

Protective Equipment (RPE). 

“There is no ‘safe’ 

level of exposure and 

frequent contact with 

even minute amounts of 

dust can have a serious 

impact on health” 

One of the most effective methods is on-tool dust 

extraction, which captures dust at the source 

to prevent it becoming airborne. The class of 

dust extraction unit required will depend on the 

risks related to the work being carried out, but 

M-class is the minimum legal requirement for RCS 

generating tasks as advised in the HSE guidance 

CIS36 and CIS69. An M-Class dust extractor 

removes 99.9% of dust so that occupational 

exposure limits are as low as => 0.1mg/m³ of 

air. 

While it may be tempting to use a vacuum 

cleaner, or to not use a dust extractor for ‘quick’ 



Does your secondary glazing supplier 

leave you in the dark? 

Switch. 

Secondary glazing is simplicity itself. 

It’s simple to sell, survey and install. It offers great acoustic and 

thermal performance. It has great profit margins. And it gets you 

into projects you couldn’t normally get into. 

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Makita: Tool Talk 


“While dust is often unavoidable, employing 

the right dust management measures will help 

protect the health of everyone working on-site” 

jobs, this is strongly discouraged. There is no 

‘safe’ level of exposure and frequent contact with 

even minute amounts of dust can have a serious 

impact on health in the long term. Also, controlling 

dust is not only for the safety and health of the user 

but also those working around them. 

Key features designed into the dust extractor can 

make the combined use of the tool and extractor far 

easier. This includes power take-off, which enables 

corded tools to be powered directly from the unit, 

and ‘auto’ functions that mean the extractor runs 

automatically when the tool is in use. There are 

also wireless options for cordless tools such as 

the Makita Auto-start Wireless System (AWS), 

which connects AWS enabled tools to compatible 

dust extractors via Bluetooth to provide the same 

automatic operation. High performance levels are 

maintained to ensure maximum dust capture, due 

to the auto clean system. 

Onboard or integrated dust collection systems are 

also an option. These consist of a powered dust 

box that operates directly from the tool to capture 

the dust. It is available on a range of Makita 

tools including cordless rotary hammer drills and 

means that the user can operate more flexibly 

and independently if required. 

In addition, the use of the correct RPE alongside 

dust extraction is also a legal requirement. The 

HSE recommends a mask with an assigned 

minimum protection factor (APF) of 20 or FFP3. An 

APF of 20 means the wearer will only breathe in 

one-twentieth or less of the substance present in 

the air around them. There are a range of options 

available, but it is important to ensure that the 

RPE is CE marked in accordance with the Personal 

Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 and is 

suitable for the user, work and environment. It 

must also allow the wearer to work freely and not 

increase the overall risk by, for example, limiting 

their ability to see nearby hazards. 

While dust is often unavoidable, especially for 

fenestration and home improvement professionals, 

employing the right measures of dust management 

and utilising these at all times will help protect the 

health of everyone working on-site. 

To find out more about Makita’s range of dust 

extractors as well as tools that include features to 

simplify dust management visit: www.makitauk. 

com/products/m-class-dust-extraction. 

Contact Makita: 

01908 211678 

www.makita.co.uk 

@MakitaUK 


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Updates 

For further updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk 

NEW SAFETY EYEWEAR RANGE FROM HELLBERG 

Hellberg Safety has launched a new range of safety eyewear. 

With basic to premium ‘street-smart’ styles, the new range promises to deliver a 

consistently clear line of sight and safe vision for professional tradesmen and women, 

wherever they’re working on-site. 

Built with lightweight, durable materials and specially developed lens technology, the 

eyewear provides complete protection and comfort throughout the working day, and can be 

easily combined with other PPE including ear-defenders, safety helmets, and visors. 

With a focus on enhanced safety in all conditions, Hellberg glasses and goggles have 

impact-resistant lenses with anti-scratch and anti-fog coating on both sides, and there 

are styles that can be worn over prescription glasses. www.hellbergsafety.com 

LONG LASTING PROTECTION AND STRETCH COMFORT 

With ‘street-smart’ designs for men and women, all Snickers Workwear jackets include ‘must-have’ 

features that focus on fit and freedom of movement, as well as using innovative fabrics that are designed to 

deliver long-lasting protection and stretch comfort. 

Snickers says whatever you need – for work, play or protection against hazards – Snickers can offer jackets that 

will work on site and are also ideal for leisure, ensuring optimal performance, comfort, good looks and visibility. 

Snickers says its AllroundWork jackets are just what the name suggests, delivering a great all-round performance. 

There’s also FlexiWork jackets that provide ‘superb’ comfort and weather-proofing for those on the move, and 

LiteWork jackets that keep the wearer ‘feeling cool and looking good’ in warmer weather. 

www.snickersworkwear.co.uk/products/93 

XPERT STOCKIST FREEBIES FROM WINDOW WARE 

Xpert, the specialist tool arm of independent hardware distributor Window Ware, has been spreading some new 

year cheer to its stockists. 

The company, which supplies specialised glazing tools and essentials, including hand tools, machinery spares, air tools, 

and consumables, sent its Xpert stockists some well-deserved freebies, including cosy Xpert beanies and useful Xpert pens. 

Having celebrated a ‘subdued’ 10th anniversary in the midst of the pandemic last year, Xpert decided the start of 2021 was 

a great time to acknowledge its loyal stockists and say thanks for their business during a testing 2020. 

Window Ware’s Karl Williamson, said: “Our 10th anniversary was overshadowed by Covid-19 and we really wanted to kick off 

2021 on a positive note... Whatever 2021 has in store, we’ll continue to do our utmost to safely keep our stockists’ shelves stocked 

and their customers happy with specialist glazing tools that are always up to the job.” www.windowware.co.uk/brands/xpert 

VISIBILITY AND SAFETY WITH SNICKERS 

Snickers Workwear says it can offer a ‘superior’ range of hi-vis protective wear for all kinds of light conditions. 

With updated styles and designs added to the extensive range of jackets, trousers, shorts, tool-vests, shirts and 

fleeces for men and women, there’s a host of garments in the range to satisfy the specific requirements of Classes 1, 2 

and 3 protection levels. 

These ‘outstanding’ products combine Snickers’ ‘unrivalled hallmarks of functionality and comfort’ with the 

requirements of the EN20471 standard for high-visibility warning clothes. 

With advanced designs and high-tech fabrics that are windproof and water-repellent, all the garments have durable, 

colour-fast protection that will last for wash after wash, retaining shape and comfort throughout the life of the garments. 

www.snickersworkwear.co.uk 



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March/April 2021

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