May/June 2021

MAY/JUNE 2021 

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST 

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EURO 21 

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Editor’s Comment 

SOPHIE STEVENS 

EDITOR 

SOPHIESTEVENS@MEDIA-NOW.CO.UK 

Innovation 

unlocked 

Get ready.. 

Another game changing 

product from Made for Trade 

is on the horizon 

With supply chain issues continuing to pose a challenge for the entire 

industry, relying on others to ensure promises to customers are fulfilled 

can be a great source of frustration. 

One supplier who knows the benefits of self-sufficiency only too well, is 

Northern-Irish doormaker, Apeer. On page 34 of this issue, the company’s 

MD, Asa McGillian, says the business has been largely unaffected by local 

challenges – on top of those already imposed by Covid-19 – because it 

manufactures its own blanks and glass units, using locally-sourced materials 

and components from the UK and Ireland. “We have no problems in getting 

our completed doors to our customers,” insists Asa. 

While the efforts of many companies in the sector to uphold lead times and 

maintain a good service is evident, unfortunately some suppliers still fail, 

and it’s the consumer-facing installer who tends to bear the brunt. On page 

24 of this issue, Selecta’s Andy Green highlights the damaging knock-on 

effect on installation businesses. He notes “an increase in installers 

wanting to be in control of their own destiny”, with ‘why wait, when you can 

fabricate?’ the philosophy. 

Elsewhere in this issue, Sternfenster’s tech guru, Kev Wallis, kicks off a new 

feature with some top tips for installing bi-folds (page 20); Eurocell explains 

how you can get in on the garden room boom with a step-by-step installation 

guide to its new Kyube range (page 62), and we’re also pleased to bring you 

our Euro 2021 fixture planner and sweepstake kit, sponsored by Dakea, so 

you and your friends can play along with the roof window specialist! 

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

I hope you enjoy the issue. 

Sophie 

ALUMINIUM SYSTEMS 

Total Installer Cover May/June 2021.indd 1 27/04/2021 07:10 

Cover courtesy of Made For Trade: Read more from Made For Trade 

on page 18 and find out more at www.madefortrade.co 

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MAY/JUNE 2021 TI 3

Contents 

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS 

34 

22 FINISH FIRST 

Continuing demand from the retail sector means 

increased interest in colour and finish says 

systems house Aluplast 

34 BUSINESS AS USUAL 

From Brexit to Covid, Apeer MD Asa McGillian 

tells Total Installer why self-sufficiency pays off 

in a turbulent world 

48 FIT AND READY? 

The FIT Show’s organisers offer up their top tips 

to optimise your experience ahead of the event’s 

return to the NEC this September 

18 

FEATURES 

16 FAILURE TO LAUNCH 

Origin’s Victoria Brocklesby reflects on the Green 

Homes Grant scheme, what was promised, and why it 

failed to deliver 

64 

24 TAKING BACK CONTROL 

With installers vulnerable to the knock-on effects of 

supply chain issues, Selecta Systems’ Andy Green 

asks: ‘Why wait when you can fabricate?’ 

30 SMARTER OPPORTUNITIES 

Kubu’s Lauren Bromley, explores the significant sales 

opportunities created by doors and windows that are 

equipped with smart-sensor technology 

40 REPUTATION IS PARAMOUNT 

Stephen Nadin of Endurance Doors explains what it 

takes to create an ‘outstanding’ customer experience 

62 GARDEN ROOM BOOM 

Eurocell outlines the key considerations when installing 

its ‘Kyube’ garden range 

72 ONE BATTERY FITS ALL 

Makita looks at the benefits of investing in cordless 

tools that share a common battery platform 

4 T I MAY/JUNE 2021 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST

REGULARS 

14 THE BUSINESS 

PILOT BAROMETER 

Business is booming, but there are challenges on 

the horizon according to Neil Cooper-Smith 

18 MFT: IN GEAR 

Made For Trade’s Tommy Fielding is back on 

the racing track and he’s faster, slimmer and 

stronger, just like the Korniche lantern... 

20 KEV’S TOP TIPS 

Kev Wallis kicks-off his new column with some 

advice on fitting bi-folds, and he starts with ‘RTFM’ 

70 XPERT ADVICE 

 

A bad workman blames his tools, but what if those 

tools really are to blame? Window Ware ponders... 

INDUSTRY NEWS 

6 BRING IN THE TROOPS 

BOS partners with military transitioning agency to help 

bridge the industry skills gap 

9 PASS IT ON 

Deceuninck’s Rob McGlennon urges surcharges to be 

passed right down the supply chain to the end-user 

SECTIONS: 

WINDOWS 

22 

DOORS 

34 

GLAZED 

EXTENSIONS 

52 

HOME 

IMPROVEMENTS 

62 

VEHICLES, TOOLS 

& WORKWEAR 

6 

70 


MAY/JUNE 2021 T I 5

News Roundup 

GGF URGES CAUTION 

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

SKILLS GAP: BOS BRINGS IN THE TROOPS 

As lockdown restrictions continue to ease 

around the UK, the Glass and Glazing 

Federation (GGF) is advising all companies 

to be cautious and still adhere to the GGF 

and Government’s guidance to make sure 

that employees and customers stay safe. 

John Agnew, GGF managing director, said: “It 

is with some relief for all consumer facing 

companies that the restrictions are now being 

eased. With all the Government statistics 

going in the right direction, the GGF advises 

all companies re-opening retail premises 

to operate under the GGF and Government 

Covid-secure guidance.” 

James MacPherson, GGF health, safety and 

environment manager, added: “It’s great to 

see the Government’s testing and vaccination 

programme having a significant impact 

and numbers of cases, hospitalisations 

and fatalities are coming down. However, 

to make sure that we don’t slip back into 

another lockdown, it is vital that everyone 

behaves responsibly and takes the necessary 

precautions. If companies need any support 

or guidance on this, I urge them to utilise 

the GGF website and check our Covid safe 

guides.” www.ggf.org.uk/ 

Building Our Skills (BOS), the initiative set up 

to make fenestration a career of choice, has 

partnered with a military transitioning agency as 

part of its aim to bridge the industry skills gap. 

The partnership with FrontFoot, specialists in 

re-introducing service personnel into mainstream 

industry, follows the recent launch of BOS’s 

‘Inspiring the Future’ campaign which aims to 

engage with the education sector. 

BOS ambassador, John Ogilvie, said: “Engaging 

with FrontFoot to bring military service personnel 

into the fenestration industry is the latest in a 

growing list of key strategic partnerships we are 

forming to help us bridge the skills gap, and we 

are delighted to bring this one to fruition. 

“As we continue with our longer-term journey 

to engage with the education sector to impart 

knowledge of our industry into the minds of the 

future workforce, we have very high hopes that 

this new relationship will help those looking to 

add to their workforce right now. 

“Our first initiative with FrontFoot is to ask them 

to identify service personnel who would like to 

become window and door installers. 

“We will be building hands-on GQA-accredited 

practical training courses into the recruitment 

process, along with 12 months of ongoing support 

for both the recruit and the employer, to ensure 

that we are delivering a sustainable solution for 

all parties. We want employers who engage to 

know they will be getting installers who have 

been given outstanding basic training in all the 

key elements and are ready to contribute to their 

business from day one.” 

For more information on engaging service 

personnel or to request a copy of a prospectus, 

email: sayhello@buildingourskills.co.uk , 

or visit: www.buildingourskills.co.uk 

BUILDERS SEE ENQUIRIES RISE AS MATERIAL SHORTAGES BITE 

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) 

has reported that the first three months 

of 2021 saw enquiries with local building 

firms increase at their fastest rate in a 

decade, fuelling significant difficulties with 

construction material shortages – including 

roofing and glazing products. 

The latest FMB State of Trade Q1 2021 found that 

workloads, enquiries and employment all grew 

between January and March 2021, with enquiries 

growing at their fastest pace in more than 10 

years. Activity in all sectors grew, but repair, 

maintenance and improvement saw the strongest 

performance with 55% of respondents reporting 

increased workloads. Of those builders surveyed, 

93% said that material prices were rising. 

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: 

“The worrying impact of these material price 

increases is that quality builders are at risk of 

being undercut by unscrupulous traders offering 

lower quotes to homeowners. Consumers must be 

aware that the cost of building works may change 

in the months ahead, as access to materials 

continues to cause a headache for 93% of 

Britain’s builders.” 

Berry concluded: “With the construction skills 

shortage slowly creeping back up the agenda, 

it’s clear that there is significant capacity in the 

sector to take on new entrants and create muchneeded 

jobs. 

“I am bitterly disappointed over the decision to 

cancel the Green Homes Grant scheme, which 

offered an opportunity to not only bring more 

people into construction but also to tackle climate 

change. 

“The Government’s answer to this must be a 

long-term National Retrofit Strategy, that has the 

backing of industry from the outset.” 

www.fmb.org.uk 

6 TI MAY/JUNE 2021 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST

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News Roundup 

CERTASS DELIVERS 

FIT SUPPORT HUB 

£10M RECYCLING FACILITY INVESTMENT 

Certass is creating a live forum at the 

Installer Support Hub (Stand H40) at FIT 

Show 2021 in September. 

The Installer Support Hub is a ‘must visit’ 

stand for installers to find expert advice 

on all aspects of their business, including 

certification, competency, insurance, finance 

and business support. 

Jon Vanstone, chair of Certass and FIT Show 

ambassador (pictured above), said: “With 

the success of our members-only Facebook 

forum over the last year, we wanted to use 

our FIT Show stand as an opportunity to 

bring the forum to life, and that’s where the 

Installer Support Hub idea came from. 

“As well as having the Certass team on 

hand to talk about certification, MTC, the 

latest information from Government and the 

massive benefits that come with Certass 

membership, we are inviting our key partners 

from the industry to support installers with 

other areas of their business.” 

Visit the Installer Support Hub at FIT Show, 

from 26-28 September 2021. 

www.certass.co.uk • www.fitshow.co.uk 

Rehau has invested £10m in, PVCR, a stateof-the-art 

recycling facility, located in the 

North of England, as it unveils a broader 

vision to raise public awareness of the critical 

impact window recycling has on the UK’s 

sustainability agenda. 

Millions of windows are replaced in the UK each 

year, on average, as frames become time-expired 

or property owners look to upgrade. In order to 

significantly reduce the many tonnes that still go to 

landfill, Rehau says it is committed to the circular 

economy and a ‘planet before profit’ mantra. 

With this in mind, the company has invested more 

than £60m in recycling infrastructure across the 

Rehau Group, with its new window recycling facility 

described as ‘a shining example of this commitment 

in action, and key to the organisation’s highly 

ambitious sustainability targets’. 

Based in Runcorn, PVCR is the largest PVC-U 

recycler in the North West, salvaging and 

processing 1,000 metric tonnes of post-consumer 

polymer windows and doors every month. The 

company recently moved to its new purposebuilt 

site as part of its continued investment 

into upgrading its PVC recycling capability and 

improving overall sustainability. 

Martin Hitchin, CEO at Rehau said: “The UK 

public is becoming more familiar with the benefits 

PVC windows bring to our buildings, but more 

work needs to be done to raise awareness of 

recyclability beyond single-use plastic. In order 

for window recycling to become commonplace, 

industry needs to collaborate, inform and educate 

around its importance. 

“Sustainability is much more than a hot topic at 

Rehau – it is a driving force within our strategy. It 

is something we act on and invest in, so we hope 

industry will join forces with us in making window 

recycling a mainstream process.” 

www.pvcr.co.uk 


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

INSTALLER LOOKING TO 

GROW FITTING TEAM 

Despite an unprecedented trading period 

brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, 

double glazing installer Global Windows 

has experienced a record year, and is 

now carrying out up to 80 

installations a month. 

And, thanks to a 

boom in demand for 

home improvement 

products, the 

Sheffield-based 

company – which 

specialises in PVC-U windows 

and doors, composite doors, aluminium bifolds 

and patio doors – is seeking to expand its 

team and invest in new installers. 

Global Windows joint managing director 

Liam Hulme (pictured above, right) said: “At 

Global Windows, we’re looking to grow and 

strengthen our talented team of installers, 

and in turn, we can offer a great working 

environment, on the job training with 

dedicated support, as well as competitive 

pay within a booming industry.” 

PASS SURCHARGES TO END-USER, URGES MD 

Rob McGlennon, managing director at 

Deceuninck, has written an open letter to the 

industry urging surcharges to be passed on to 

the end-user, as the supply chain struggles to 

keep up with demand. 

Rob (pictured below) writes: 

‘The pressure on the availability of resin isn’t 

a challenge exclusive to the window and door 

industry – it’s effecting every industry which uses 

plastics, from food packaging to plastic carrier 

bags. Polymer is in short supply. 

‘The price of polymer has increased every month for 

the last 11-months. Systems companies can absorb 

some of the hits, but the reality is that some of those 

increases are temporarily going to have to be passed 

on to fabricators in the form of surcharges. What is 

vital is that they are passed on by fabricators, 

right down the supply chain to installers and 

ultimately – the end-user. Surcharges are never 

going to be palatable but they are necessary. And 

if we do what we should and pass them onto the 

end-user, things remain sustainable. 

‘Homeowners are seeing their property values 

rocket. According to estimates by the Bank of 

England Monetary Policy Committee, consumers 

are sitting on savings of £125bn, so I don’t believe 

that they are going to bat an eye lid if they have 

to pay a couple of hundred quid more for their 

windows now than they would have done twoyears 

ago – if it even registers!? 

‘What they will notice is their windows not turning 

up because of availability of product. We’re as 

prepared as we can be. We have scale, purchasing 

power and reach. But we are also paying more and 

we are not immune from the pressures faced more 

widely, not only in the UK window and door industry 

but globally. 

‘We will do our best, we know that our customers 

will, and we hope their customers will follow 

suit, but there will be bumps in the road. As we 

face them, we could all do well to remember 

that there are worse challenges to face than 

exponential growth in demand for our products 

and our services.’ 

“The past year has been an incredibly 

challenging time for anyone looking for a job, 

and we want to invest in skilled people in our 

area, helping to strengthen our growing team. 

“If you’re interested in finding out more about 

Global Windows and what we have to offer, 

we’d be delighted to hear from you.” 

www.global-windows.co.uk 


MAY/JUNE 2021TI 9

Company News 

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

VBH GAINS KITEMARK 

Hardware specialist, VBH, says it is among 

the very first companies to have been 

awarded the new BSI Kitemark in respect of 

hardware used in windows and doorsets. 

To achieve the Kitemark, VBH submitted 

various window and door samples to BSI for 

testing to all the relevant UK quality standards. 

The hardware covered includes products for 

the manufacture of outward opening, and tilt 

& turn windows, residential doors, bi-fold 

doors, lift slide doors, inline sliding patio 

doors and the greenteQ Invisifold slide & fold 

door system. As well as the company’s own 

greenteQ hardware, the Kitemark also covers 

products from many of VBH’s partner brands 

including AGB, Yale and Roto. 

VBH business development manager, Rob 

Norman, said: “Naturally, it takes a lot to 

achieve this Kitemark but the benefits to 

us and our customers are many. Not only 

is the Kitemark a badge of quality for our 

products but it also gives added credence to 

our Q-secure consumer guarantee, as all the 

hardware on our Kitemark schedule is also on 

our Q-secure Approved Hardware list.” 

www.vbhgb.com 

ISO-CHEMIE OPENS NEW WEBSHOP 

Window and door foam tape sealants 

specialist, ISO-Chemie, has opened a new 

online store, enabling UK customers to order 

products 24/7. 

Accessible via an office PC, laptop, tablet or 

mobile device, the ‘easy-to-use and versatile’ 

webshop – available at ISO-Chemie’s web 

portal – provides comprehensive application 

information and specification detail on the 

company’s extensive range of foam tape sealants 

and associated products, such as BIM services. 

Products can be viewed and ordered at the touch 

of a button via an interactive display to save time 

and ensure accuracy. Associated documents are 

also available for downloading and viewing, while 

orders can be tracked. In addition, ISO-Chemie 

offers planning, calculation and installation tools 

via its ISO-Portal. 

The ISO-Chemie webshop is part of ISO-Chemie’s 

Baufage 4.0 concept, marking the company’s 

40th anniversary year. www.shop.iso-chemie.eu 

‘AMAZON-STYLE’ SELF-SERVICE PORTAL 

AdminBase has extended the ‘easy 

functionality’ of its installer management 

system with the addition of a new feature that 

‘quite literally allows retail customers to help 

themselves’. 

The new portal is offered to all new and existing 

users of the web-based version of AdminBase at 

no additional cost. 

By allowing customers to log in, track their order 

and carry out other key tasks for themselves, the 

new feature means installers can free-up busy 

personnel for other tasks. Customers can enjoy an 

immediate response any time of day or night; and 

installers reduce costs whilst improving customer 

satisfaction ratings. 

The new feature will allow window, door and 

conservatory installers to offer ‘Amazon-style’ 

self-service facilities. Easily added to and 

accessed through existing websites, homeowners 

can check the progress of their order as often as 

they wish and at a time to suit them. 

Customers may also confirm survey and 

installation appointments and, when their 

installation is complete, raise a service call for 

any ‘post-installation snagging’. Customers may 

also settle invoices through the facility, again 

providing convenience for them and saving time 

and effort for the installer. 

The AdminBase Customer Self-Service Portal will 

be included on all new AdminBase installations 

from the beginning of May 2021, with all existing 

customer systems being progressively updated 

from that date. www.abinitiosoftware.co.uk 

GLAZING PUTTY JOINS REVAMPED GEOCEL MATE RANGE 

Geocel has marked the relaunch of its popular 

Mate range with the introduction of Glazing Putty 

– a premium solvent-free acrylic for glazing 

timber and metal frames, offering ‘excellent 

adhesion and temperature resistance’. 

The Mate range, which includes all of Geocel’s 

Trade Mate and Joiners Mate products, is an 

extensive portfolio of professional sealants and 

adhesives ‘created to tackle every challenge a 

tradesperson might encounter on site’. 

The new Glazing Putty has been introduced to the 

Trade Mate range alongside Nail Power; an instant 

grab gap filling adhesive which eradicates the need 

for nails and screws and is suitable for bonding 

most porous and non-porous surfaces. 

The Trade Mate range encompasses 23 products 

that are used across general building, plumbing, 

roofing and glazing applications. 

With new premium packaging as part of the 

relaunch, each product’s intended application 

has been accentuated to make it even easier to 

identify on the shelf. www.geocel.co.uk 


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

Contract The View Talk from Certass TA 

DESTIGMATISING MENTAL HEALTH 

Jon Vanstone, Chair at Certass Trade Association, talks about the mental health crisis. 

I 

write this on the first day of Mental Health 

Awareness Week – the UK’s national campaign 

for mental health and well-being. The last year 

has taken a toll on all of us, in some way, shape or 

form and if the stats weren’t worrying before, they 

certainly will be now. 

Jon Vanstone 

To mark this year’s campaign, the Association 

for Project Management has released the results 

of a survey which found that 87% percent of 

project professionals agree that “their mental 

well-being has been negatively impacted by their 

main project”. 

Another report released today by financial 

services firm Close Brothers has found that more 

than half of employees have seen their mental 

health worries worsen during the pandemic, with 

finance worries, concerns about physical health 

and seemingly endless lockdowns all cited as the 

biggest causes. 

A report carried out by the Building Engineering 

Services Association (BESA), the Electrical 

Contractors Association (ECA) and 25 other 

construction trade bodies for Mental Health 

Awareness Week 2020 found that 90% of 

construction bosses have suffered from mental 

health problems because of late payments. A 

massive 92% of respondents said their business 

faced payment issues, which led to stress, 

depression, anxiety, panic attacks, extreme 

anger and insomnia, with 10% reporting suicidal 

thoughts due to late or unfair payment. 

The construction sector is one of the industries 

that is most affected by mental health. Suicide 

rates for UK construction workers is more than 

three times the national average and suicide 

remains the single biggest killer of men under 45 

– so we have much more to tackle in our maledominated 

industry. 

In 2019, almost half of the construction workers 

who took part in the Construction News Mind 

Matters Survey said they had taken time off work 

due to ‘unmanageable stress and mental health 

issues’, yet only 28% of those respondents were 

honest with their employer about the reason for 

their absence. 

This is really indicative of the wider issue 

that’s at play here and as employers, and 

as an industry, I think we all need to have 

clear strategies on how we can destigmatise 

conversations about mental health in the 

workplace. 

I think we also have to be mindful about how 

the last 12-18 months has affected us, from 

uncertainty over jobs, finances, even the future of 

businesses to now, in the recovery, working longer 

and longer hours to play catch-up, especially for 

those who are running installation businesses 

and wearing multiple ‘hats’. 

Certass TA combined with the Lighthouse Club 

charity in December 2020 to produce a small 

video aimed at installers who are often isolated 

by mental health programmes aimed more at the 

office-based people. The message of ‘Ask Twice 

Think and Be Kind’ is still so poignant to our 

industry as no construction worker or their family 

should be alone in a crisis. 

Too often, we avoid difficult conversations – 

whether that is because of our old British ‘stiff 

upper lip’ or because we are fearful of judgement 

– but talking about how we feel can make such 

a difference. If you know someone who may be 

struggling, offering a friendly ear is a great thing 

to do for your friend or colleague, with countless 

stories in the media of this simple act being the 

differentiator between life and death. 

We have a direct responsibility to our employees 

and our industry peers and encouraging these 

conversations should be the first step for us. 

Luckily, there are many organisations out there 

who can offer support and advice at levels – from 

employees to board level. 

If you are struggling, I would urge you to look at 

Lighthouse Club website (www.lighthouseclub. 

org) or download the Construction Industry 

Helpline app or visit mentalhealth.org.uk. If you 

feel you have no one to talk to but want to chat 

to someone, then please call the Construction 

Industry helpline on: 0345 605 1956. 

Contact Certass Trade Association: 

01292 292 095 

certassta.co.uk 

@CertassTa 


AS COMMITTED TO YOU, 

AS YOU ARE TO THE TRADE. 

DAKEA 

ROOF WINDOWS 

ARE BUILT 

FOR THE TRADE. 

At Dakea, we pride ourselves on delivering 

high-quality, affordable roof windows that 

are easy to install and backed with a 20-year 

guarantee. 

Find out more at dakea.co.uk 

Or give us a call +44 20 3970 5080 to discuss your project. 

DakeaChannel 

@HiDakea 

Dakea_UK

Contract The Business Talk Pilot Barometer 

CRUNCH TIME FOR RETAIL? 

Business is booming but according to Neil Cooper-Smith, senior analyst at Business Pilot, 

there are challenges on the horizon that make proper business management critical... 

Business Pilot Barometer Edition 16: February/March/April 2021 

“Covid-19 may still be with us, but the world we now occupy today is a very different one to 

that of 12-months ago. In April 2020, things felt apocalyptic. We were in our first national 

lockdown, factories had shut their gates and like the rest of retail, installers were forced to 

close their showrooms. Fast forward to April 2021, and things look and feel very different! 

The UK-economy is forecast to see its greatest growth since the post-war period and the 

construction sector is seeing an unprecedented boom. 

“This is reflected in the figures we’re seeing in this month’s barometer. Average sales were up 

9% in April on March – but a staggering 55% on the same time in 2020. 

“New leads for April 2021 held firm on figures for March - and were 273% higher than April 

2020. Conversions also held steady last month, up 3% on March. 

“This reflects the wider bounce in the UK economy which shows that it is back to where it was 

pre-Covid-19 and with forecast growth in GDP of 7%, seeing its strongest gains since 1945! 

“Increased consumer confidence, plus demand generated by the Stamp Duty holiday meant that 

house prices also grew at their fastest rate for 17-years last month, up 2.1% in April. 

“According to mortgage lender Nationwide, this represented the biggest monthly rise since 

February 2004 and was 7.1% higher than in April 2020. 

“There are, however, challenges on the horizon. The price increases trickling, or perhaps more 

accurately, cascading through the supply chain, make cashflow forecasting and business 

management critical. 

“This pales into insignificance in the face of significant disruption to component supply from 

PVC-U resins, to laminates and glass, to hardware and steel. 

“With systems and float glass manufacturers warning of supply chain challenges, it is only a 

matter of time before fabricators do the same. 

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). 

“This makes effective lead management, increased forward visibility of order books and effective 

job scheduling increasingly important for installers. Having the right processes in place in your 

business and the visibility of where leads or jobs are in your sales pipeline or operational schedule 

- plus financial reporting - is going to be very important in the coming months as installers juggle 

continuing high levels of demand and unprecedented pressure on their supply chains.” 

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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Viewpoint 

FAILURE TO LAUNCH 

Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, the UK manufacturer of aluminium doors and windows, 

reflects on the Green Homes Grant scheme, what was promised, and how it failed to deliver. 

The UK Government introduced 

the Green Homes Grant scheme 

in September 2020, designed to 

help homeowners and landlords make 

essential energy-saving upgrades 

to their properties. The scheme was 

prioritised after reducing household 

emissions was identified to be essential 

for the Government to meet its net-zero 

emissions targets by 2050. 

The idea was that the Government 

would supplement the upgrades with 

vouchers to cover a proportion or, in some cases, 

all of the cost. However, the scheme did not go to 

plan and has subsequently been scrapped a year 

ahead of schedule. 

There is no denying that the concept of the 

scheme was strong. The improvements to homes 

across the country would help homeowners save 

money on their energy bills, promote energy 

efficiency and in turn, reduce the UK’s carbon 

footprint. It was also hoped that the scheme 

would have the knock-on effect of creating jobs 

amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, the 

execution was severely lacking. 

Little information 

When the initiative first launched, there was very 

little information made available to explain how 

it would work, both for those working within the 

industry and for homeowners who were interested 

in taking part. 

Additionally, there were certain caveats which 

made it difficult for homeowners to carry out 

the work they really wanted. For example, the 

scheme outlined two distinct categories, classed 

as primary and secondary measures – it is 

the secondary measures which related to the 

fenestration industry. However, for a homeowner 

to qualify for a secondary measure, such as 

“There is no denying 

that the concept of the 

scheme was strong... 

However, the execution 

was severely lacking” 

double or triple glazing, secondary glazing or 

upgrading to energy efficient doors and windows, 

they would first have to apply for at least one 

primary measure, which included solid wall 

insulation, cavity wall insulation, roof insulation, 

or putting in a biomass boiler. 

This meant that any initial excitement that 

those of us working in the fenestration industry 

had about the Government’s revolutionary new 

scheme was quickly snubbed out, knowing that 

homeowners would have to apply for at least 

one primary measure before even thinking about 

glazing, doors, and windows. 

This isn’t where the issues ended with the 

scheme either. Installation was another issue. 

Once a homeowner was set on proceeding with 

upgrading their doors and windows, they would 

search to find a list of accredited tradespeople 

who were registered to carry out work under 

the scheme and could claim for the vouchers. 

Origin’s Victoria Brocklesby 

However, it was only tradespeople 

registered for TrustMark or 

Microgeneration Certification Scheme 

accreditations that could carry out 

work under the initiative. It is a timeconsuming 

process to achieve these 

specific certifications, on top of those 

that they have already obtained, and 

with demand – especially for secondary 

measure work – being limited, many 

installers didn’t bother registering. So, 

finding a registered tradesperson to do 

the work was difficult. 

We saw proof of these shortcomings directly at 

Origin. When the scheme was first announced, 

we witnessed a significant spike in web traffic 

with people searching to improve their homes. But 

once more information on the scheme was made 

available and it was clear it would be a complicated 

process for them to upgrade their doors and 

windows, this quickly dropped off and we received 

minimal enquiries connected to the scheme. 

Benefits outweighed 

The initiative was fantastic in theory, there is no 

denying that. But there were some serious kinks 

in the chain which prevented it from being a real 

success story. Had it been easier to understand 

the details and simple to execute through the 

many thousands of talented tradespeople in 

the UK, then homes up and down the country 

could have been transformed to be more 

energy efficient. Instead, the effort outweighed 

the benefits and I’m not surprised that the 

Government has withdrawn the scheme early. 

Contact Origin: 

0808 168 5816 

ww.origin-global.com 

@Originbifolds 


www.vbhgb.com 

ORION 

proteQ10 

PREMIUM 

PREMIUM

MFT: In Gear 

BACK ON TRACK 

Following last year’s thrills and spills on the tarmac, Made For Trade’s aspiring motorcycle 

racer, Tommy Fielding, hits the circuit for his second season... 

Last year was my ‘rookie’ season on a fullsize 

motorcycle and it went with a great deal 

of success, punctuated with a fair amount 

of crashing. 

My speed improved – which was evident through 

regular podiums towards the end of the season 

– and with it, my attitude before the race. I was 

much more relaxed, which I learnt was key to 

performing well under pressure. 

Due to Covid, we only ended up with a fourround 

championship, where I finished 4th overall 

with two pole positions, one second place and 

three third place finishes. 2021 sees an almost 

complete calendar in the No Limits motorcycle 

race series, which will feature seven rounds after 

the initial season opener was dropped due to 

lockdown restrictions. This year I have worked 

very hard with my fitness and have shed a 

considerable amount of weight, despite the fact I 

did not have that much to lose in the first place. 

This will hopefully pay some dividends in the 

closing laps of the races when endurance fitness 

can make a significant difference. 

Racing a motorcycle is an extremely physical 

MFT’s Tommy Fielding is ‘faster, slimmer and stronger’ for the 

2021 season, not unlike the company’s Korniche lantern! 

activity and often people don’t realise that trying 

to get a 170kg motorcycle to change direction 

between a set of corners at over a hundred miles 

an hour takes a huge input from the rider, corner 

after corner, lap after lap. 

At the time of writing, I’ve just got back from the 

first round of the season at Donington Park. 

Due to lockdown, practice on the bike before 

the race meeting has been 

severely limited, meaning 

I was not going there with 

high expectations. I am 

also moving up a class 

(Protect My Income Cup 

600 Championship) and will 

need to ride even faster than 

in my newcomer season. 

The shared feeling in the 

paddock on this first race 

weekend was one of nerves! 

Caused mainly by low 

track temperatures leading 

to reduced grip and the 

thought of the infamous Craner curve. Craner is 

a 4th gear left hand corner with an apex speed of 

around 120mph downhill and a ‘blind’ approach. 

That might sound terrifying in itself, but if you get 

it wrong there – the chance of which is increased 

exponentially in the colder months – your bike is 

going to be a write off. 

Barrel-roll or somersault 

Riders usually get away relatively unscathed but as 

the sliding bike leaves the tarmac on its side, when 

it reaches the grass, the handlebars or foot pegs 

tend to dig in, causing it to violently barrel-roll or 

somersault into the air. This is quite a sight for the 

spectators but usually leaves the rider with a hefty 

repair bill and is often the end of their weekend. 

My sponsor, Made for Trade, has joked that I am 

mirroring the Korniche Lantern’s USPs of being 

faster, slimmer and stronger this season! I just 

can’t wait for it to be warmer... 

Now to the actual racing: I went out for 

qualifying – which is just a short 10-minute 

session – and came home in 4th position, which I 

was pleased about. 


Contract Talk 

“I am mirroring the 

Korniche lantern’s 

USPs of being faster, 

slimmer and stronger 

this season! I just 

can’t wait for it to be 

warmer...” 

Race 1 

A poor getaway from the line with too much 

wheelie meant I dropped back to 6th place when 

it came to closing the first lap, I was able to 

muscle myself back to 5th place as we crossed 

the line after 10 laps. 

Race 2 

I should have started from 5th on the grid, 

however, due to a technicality, myself and another 

front runner were forced to start from the back! 

Without a warming-up lap or sighting lap, I pulled 

my Yamaha R6 onto the grid in the 40th grid slot. 

This was my first time starting any lower than 

6th place and I can assure you, it was a daunting 

prospect. The start of the race is probably the most 

dangerous part, as it is not uncommon for a bike 

to stall with the rest of the riders trying to avoid 

the stricken rider at high speed. If this happened, 

I would be at 80mph by the time I reached a 

potentially stationary bike, which can be invisible 

in the pack, until you’re on top of it. You don’t ever 

want to see it, but you can imagine the aftermath 

of such an impact. 

The first race of the season took 

place at Donington Park in April 

Thankfully, the start went well, with me launching 

it away from the line, overtaking eight-10 bikes 

before even exiting the first corner! For the rest 

of the race, I was trying as safely as possible to 

overtake the many bikes in front. Riders from the 

mid field and towards the back of the grid are not 

as predictable as the experienced ones near the 

front – they are more prone to crashing and don’t 

always ride on the conventional racing line, so 

this offered a good challenge after the frustration 

of having to start from the back. 

Throughout the race, three riders went down 

directly in front of me, all in separate incidents, 

two were at more than 100 mph – not the kind of 

thing I wanted to be anywhere near! Into the final 

chicane, I managed to pass a competitor who 

appeared to running out of fuel, which bumped 

me up to 6th place as I crossed the line. All things 

considered this was a brilliant result. 

Race 3 

The following race posed less drama but just as 

much excitement from my point of view, where I 

managed to get another 5th place from starting 7th. 

Race 4 

The final race saw a real dog fight between myself 

and another rider, where I narrowly held the upper 

hand as we crossed the line to finish 4th. 

Korniche sponsorship 

All sponsorship is a huge help as racing, even 

at this level, is hugely expensive. Without the 

backing of my sponsors, Exersci and Korniche, I 

would not be able to do what I love. 

Korniche is providing sponsorship for the second 

year, so if you want to benefit from a 10% 

discount on aluminium bi-folds, sliders and 

lanterns, give them a call and use code NLR10 

when you get a quote. 

Should you wish to follow my progress through 

the season, then this is the place to do it, as well 

as checking out my Facebook page: 

@tommyfieldingracing 

Contact Made For Trade: 

01642 610799 


@MadeForTrade1 



Kev’s Tech Tips 

'READ THE F*****G MANUAL!' 

After 40 years at Lincoln-based fabricator Sternfenster, technical sales manager 

Kev Wallis is well-versed in solving customers’ technical and training issues. In his 

new column for Total Installer, Kev kicks-off with some top tips for fitting bi-folds... 

When I was asked to come up with my top 

technical tips for installers, one of the 

most important pieces of advice I can offer 

can be summed up in four simple letters: RTFM. 

Or in other words, read the f*****g manual! 

Most fitters are men and we are programmed, 

genetically, to not read instructions. This applies to 

DIY at home as much as it does to fitting on site. 

How many men reading this have put up flat pack 

furniture without looking at the instructions with a 

‘how hard can it be, I’ll just work it out’ attitude, 

only to find themselves with a wonky wardrobe and 

a load of left-over nuts and bolts for their efforts? I 

guarantee it’s pretty much all of you! 

“It turns out that he had 

fitted the doors upside 

down – with the rollers 

at the top!” 

The same applies when installing windows and 

doors. I was called out to site once because 

the customer was complaining that the bi-fold 

doors he had ordered from us were not working 

properly. He was absolutely adamant that he’d 

done it properly and was pointing the finger at 

us for supplying a defective product. It turns out 

that he had fitted the doors upside down – with 

the rollers at the top! This is an extreme example, 

but it goes to show that life is a lot easier when 

you read the instructions. All our doors are tested 

and subject to strict quality control before they 

go out – and they come complete with an easy to 

understand installation guide. 

On the subject of aluminium bi-folds, this is 

one of the most common products for technical 

issues. I should point out that’s it’s very rare for 

it to be a problem with our doors! In fact, with 

the investment we have made in our aluminium 

factory, which includes six-figures on a Schirmer 

machining centre and four head crimper from 

FOM, the quality – and the volume – of product, 

has never been higher. 

More often than not, with a bi-fold, issues arise 

because fitters don’t check their levels properly. 

I’ve seen installers who have been in the trade 

for 30-years and they still make simple mistakes 

like this. 

It’s a vital step – no matter the size of the bifold 

– but for anything over 3m it’s imperative 

that you use a laser or a 6ft level to make sure 

everything is plumb and level. 

If you don’t, then you run the risk of a sag in the 

head, or a bump in the cill and the door will not 

operate properly. It could pull the gaskets out when 

you open and close it and it’s a time consuming 

and therefore costly mistake to put right. 

There’s an old proverb ‘measure twice and 

cut once’. That might have originated from the 

carpentry trade but the message still applies here. 

Prepare properly, take time to do your levels, and 

you’ll save yourself time and money in the long run. 

Contact Sternfenster: 

01522 512525 

www.sternfenster.com 

@Sternfenster 

Don’t forget that we have put 

together a wealth of training 

material at Sternfenster. This 

can be downloaded for free via 

our Sternfenster Plus portal 

and includes video tutorials 

on how to fit all our products 

properly. Sternfenster Plus also 

includes downloadable data 

sheets and marketing material, 

and a regularly updated news 

feed. It even has a live production capacity feed 

of our PVC and aluminium lines that allows you 

to check on the capacity of all our products from 

the minute you place an order. You can also use 

Sternfenster Plus to check on order and delivery 

updates – that makes it easier for us to manage 

your expectations, and it’s perfect for keeping 

homeowner customers updated on when to 

expect their new windows and doors as well! 


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Article Colour & Finish 

COLOUR: AN ONGOING TREND 

Record-breaking activity in the property market will mean continuing demand from the retail 

sector, including increased interest in colour and finish, says Aluplast. Total Installer reports. 

enjoyed an 

extremely strong 

“We’ve 

start to 2021,” 

says Ian Cocken, director of 

sales and marketing, at Aluplast. 

“Any initial suggestion that the 

market would cool off following 

the surge in demand for home 

improvements last year has been 

put to rest – we have doubled our 

turnover, year-on-year, for Q1! 

“That has been driven by demand 

for colour,” he continues. “Foils 

now account for as much as 50% of our total 

order volume. Consumers are looking to enhance 

their properties with foiled finishes, especially on 

premium products such as flush sashes or wide 

span patio doors. 

“Covid has certainly played a part in accelerating 

demand from the retail sector,” adds Cocken. 

“The Stamp Duty holiday extension, new 

initiatives for first time buyers, a more permanent 

shift to working from home – it’s resulted in 

a rush for more space, away from traditional 

commuter belts. That’s only going to create more 

activity in the window and door industry further 

down the line, especially for premium products 

and for colour.” 

Record-breaking 

This outlook follows a record-breaking period for 

the property sector. While Spring usually marks 

the start of the buying season, March 2021 

proved to be the busiest month for a decade, 

with 9.1million people clicking on the Rightmove 

website in a single day. 

By April, higher value homes were being snapped 

up even before they were marketed, and estate 

agencies were buckling under unprecedented 

demand for properties with multi-million pound 

asking prices. In the South West, there were 

reports of five figure deposits being paid just to 

secure a viewing, and in the Cotswolds, it was 

estimated that around 50 people were chasing 

every £2million family home. 

Gold rush 

“It’s good news for the industry and especially 

for those that will be in a position to respond to 

this gold rush for home buying,” says Cocken. 

“Our customers are well placed, firstly because 

they have a market leading portfolio of products, 

but also because they can combine these with a 

comprehensive range of foils. 

“This includes a selection of popular finishes, 

such as anthracite grey on white, anthracite grey 

on both sides with a grey substrate and smooth 

options that are kept in stock in the UK. Our 

bespoke options are also available on a highly 

competitive 20-day lead time, and that is made 

possible thanks to the investment we have made in 

manufacturing and the scale of our operations.” 

Aluplast’s production facility houses state of 

the art foiling lines and the latest CNC foiling 

technology – that has dramatically reduced the 

time it takes to process product. This, explains 

Cocken, has afforded the company much 

greater flexibility on output, resulting in cost and 

efficiency savings that can be passed 

on to its customers. 

“We have an advantage over other 

PVC system suppliers because of 

our production capacity – Aluplast 

processes over 90,000m of foiled 

product every day – but also in the 

quality of our offer. We have over 40 

finishes, and that includes Woodec 

and Aludec, which are next generation 

foils that accurately replicate timber 

and aluminium,” he continues. 

Aluminium alternative 

“Even up close, you would be hard-pushed to 

tell the difference between Woodec and the real 

thing, it looks and feels just like timber. And 

the same can be said for Aludec as a genuine 

alternative to aluminium. You can match it 

with our new fl ush casement or our Ideal 4000 

system, and you have a contemporary offering 

that can, for instance, be sold into a project that 

specifi es an aluminium bi-fold or entrance door. 

Alternatively, you can combine Aludec with our 

Smart-Slide patio for a product that can be sold 

directly against aluminium. 

“The growth we have seen in colour and finish 

to date is evidence of an ongoing trend for higher 

value, higher margin products,” concludes Cocken. 

“If the strength of the property market is anything 

to go by, we are expecting demand from retail to 

continue, and the market share of foiled product 

will follow suit. If they haven’t already done so, 

then fabricators and installers should make sure 

they are in a position to benefit from that.” 

Contact Aluplast: 

01684 273401 

aluplast.co.uk 

@aluplastsystems 


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Manufacturing 

'TAKING BACK CONTROL' 

With installers often vulnerable to the damaging knock-on effects of supply chain issues, 

Selecta Systems’ sales director, Andy Green, asks: ‘Why wait when you can fabricate?” 

We’ve all had to adapt our lives over 

the last 12 months, when confronted 

with the damaging and heart-breaking 

effects of a global pandemic. From an industry 

point of view, we have prospered heavily with 

a new-found boom in the home improvement 

market. This, in turn has generated its own 

issues, with the supply chain under severe 

pressure due to increased demand, and the 

knock-on effects of the pandemic and Brexit. 

Although recent times have been good, from an 

industry perspective there have still been some 

high-profile casualties over the course of the 

last 12 months. There have been large trade 

fabricators and profile systems suppliers whose 

business models were insufficient to see them 

through these times. Casualties like these have 

increased the pressure on the supply chain as the 

home improvement boom continues. 

What is interesting, is that Selecta has seen an 

increase in both installers and new businesses 

moving into fabrication, with the clear reasoning 

from installers being to ‘take back control’ of 

their business, whilst others have seen it as an 

opportunity to benefit from the increased interest 

in consumer demand. 

Reputation 

The rationale in ‘taking back control’ has been 

clear and concise. Installers have recognised 

that ‘buying in’ manufactured products removes 

control over the fabrication, quality and service 

provided by the trade supplier and any vendor 

failings can significantly affect their installation 

business’ reputation. Being almost at the end of 

the supply chain has had its issues and so taking 

out the ‘middleman’ has been seen as a positive 

step forward for some. 

We appreciate that in these times there has been 

increased pressure on delivery timescales, but 

these pressures can also contribute to poorly 

or incorrectly fabricated products, causing 

installation headaches which installers have 

no control over. This has a damaging knock-on 

effect on installation business, not only in terms 

of reputation, but also on the efficiency and 

effectiveness of their operations. 

Selecta’s Andy Green 

“We have certainly 

seen an increase in 

installers wanting to 

be in control of their 

own destiny” 

There’s nothing worse for installers than booking in 

a job, their customer having time off work, and then 

the product doesn’t arrive, or is damaged during 

transit, or there are mechanical and fabrication 

problems when fitting on site. Some issues cannot 

be resolved by the installation company, whereas 

if they themselves were fabricating, they’d have 

the opportunity to apply their own corrective 

actions. More importantly, greater control over 

what goes out of the door and when, is a key factor 

of fabrication. As for manufacturing and delivery 

timescales, the philosophy seems to be: why wait 

when you can fabricate? 

Quality businesses 

I’m not saying this is the case everywhere, as 

there are a lot of quality fabricator businesses 

providing a first-class service, but we have 

certainly seen an increase in installers wanting to 

be in control of their own destiny. 

We have also seen an increase in other 

construction-based businesses looking at 

diversifying their businesses to start fabricating. 

Selecta has a strong and successful history of 

setting up fabricators and fabrication facilities 

from scratch and assisting in all aspects of the 

process, from layout and floor plan design, to full 

blown training, with your own personal technician 

making the transition as smooth as possible. 

With the Advance 70 System now firmly recognised 

as one of the leading and most versatile window 

and door profile systems, whether you are 

fabricating, installing or both, you can be sure of a 

quality and comprehensive range of window and 

door solutions at your disposal. 

It is vitally important whether you’re a fabricator, 

installer or both that you have not only the right 

window and door profile system, but also the 

right supplier that can service and support you 

and your business during the good and bad 

times. This, I believe, is essential in building a 

successful business partnership. That’s why 

fabricators are choosing our Advance 70 System 

and Selecta, as they become #partofthefamily. 

Contact Selecta Systems: 

0121 325 2100 

www.selectasystems.com 

@SelectaSystems 


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Updates 

Profine Group’s Kömmerling brand, together with Rolladen Müllers GmbH & Co. KG, has just completed a 

commercial project featuring ReFrame windows made of 100% recycled PVC-U, as part of a pilot project. 

ReFrame windows are made entirely of recycled PVC-U but feature a ‘luxurious’ UV-resistant surface, 

high-quality technical properties and a high thermal insulation value. 57 ReFrame windows and doors in the 

Kömmerling 76 double seal system were installed in Stone Grey (outside) and white (inside) at a children’s 

day-care facility in WohnBau Mönchengladbach, Germany. 

Dr. Peter Mrosik, owner and CEO of Profine Group said: “Sustainability is a cornerstone of our corporate 

policy, from the use of lead-free stabilisers to comprehensive recycling solutions. That is why we see 

our ReFrame profiles as a logical component with regard to the goal of a complete circular economy and 

sustainable solutions for generations.” www.koemmerling.com/en/ 

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

'LUXURIOUS', UV-RESISTANT, AND 100% RECYCLED 

PERFORMANCE AND VERSATILITY WITH ALUMINIUM 

Following on from ‘booming demand’ for its Lineal range of PVC-U flush casement windows, fabricator 

Central Window Systems has expanded its product portfolio to include an aluminium option – the 

58BW flush casement window from AluK. 

Incorporating ‘all the high-quality functions you’d expect from an aluminium flush casement window’, the 

58BW combines weather resistance, ‘advanced’ performance, ‘incredible’ versatility and ‘excellent’ security, 

and as a durable alternative to timber and steel window systems, it’s suitable for contemporary new-builds 

and refurbishment projects. Thanks to its thermally broken design which offers a low U-value of 1.5, the 58BW 

flush casement also offers excellent protection against bad weather, while the window’s double rebate and 

friction stay features also add to its advanced weather performance. www.centralwindowsystems.co.uk 

LOCK 'BENEFITS FABS AND FITTERS ALIKE' 

Hardware supplier ERA’s new Double Cam Window Lock is an advanced locking mechanism that ‘simplifies 

fabrication and installation, reducing manufacturing time and cost’. 

Exceeding PAS 24 requirements, the lock features up to three sets of unidirectional double-locking cams, securing the sash 

tightly to the frame to deliver what ERA describes as ‘unrivalled protection and strength across the window’. The lock also 

features an innovative ‘Super Keep’ that is combined with a central anti-lift fixed pin to prevent jemmying attacks on the 

window and eliminates the need for shootbolts. The keep’s wrap around reinforced steel top plate and composite underbelly 

deliver four-point fixing for additional security, while using minimal components for ‘clean’ window aesthetics. James Wilson, 

product manager for ERA, said: “The new ERA Double Cam Window Lock provides a shootbolt-free PAS 24 solution on a 

simple cost-effective platform designed to benefit fabricators, installers and homeowners alike.” www.eraeverywhere.com 

QUICKSLIDE TREATMENT FOR HIGH-END NEW-BUILD 

Frithsden Construction, a family-run business specialising in high-end residential homes, completed a 

Georgian period-style new-build with heritage vertical sliders supplied by Quickslide. 

Frithsden’s husband and wife team, Anthony and Julie Hayes, originally wanted timber windows, before 

discovering Quickslide’s heritage woodgrain-effect vertical sliding sash PVC-U windows made a great, energy 

efficient, secure and low maintenance modern alternative. In particular, they praised the authentic look of the 

woodgrain effect and run-through horn details. 

Frithsden highly recommended Quickslide on completion of the project, not just for its quality products, but for 

the whole buying process, which they commended as being straightforward and easy – particularly praising sales 

manager, Jess, for being ‘very helpful and always available for any queries or advice’. www.quickslide.co.uk 

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Smart Technology 

SMARTER OPPORTUNITIES 

Lauren Bromley, head of brand for Kubu, talks about the significant sales opportunities 

created by doors and windows that are equipped with smart-sensor technology. 

By definition, a smart home has a central 

hub (a smart speaker, control panel, or app) 

that’s linked to at least two devices – for 

instance, a smart bulb and smart plug, with around 

half of these homes also embracing smart heating 

controls. The smart home concept is a £multibillion 

marketplace, with an estimated 2.22 million 

smart homes in the UK. 

These statistics are based on YouGov’s 2018 

survey which also showed that 23% of Britain’s 

66.44 million people have a smart item, while 

Smart Home Week has also reported that 57% 

of homes in Britain now contain a smart device. 

The fact is the smart home market is a huge 

opportunity, and that’s why the likes of Amazon, 

Apple, Google and Samsung are heavily involved 

in its evolution, adoption and development. 

It’s also hugely opportunistic for the door 

and window market where the same, proven 

smart-sensor technologies can be integrated 

into product design with little effort through 

the supply chain. Kubu was developed over 18 

months ago as a smart-sensor platform for doors 

and windows, and we’re already seeing daily 

activations of our door smart-sensor 

We’ve redeveloped the multipoint locks under 

our Avantis brand to provide a captive slot in 

preparation for any upgrade to the Kubu smartsensor. 

This means additional works at the point 

of production are minimal, and there are no other 

requirements or costs at the point of installation. 

The doors – and soon to be windows – are only 

activated once the Kubu smart-sensor has been 

inserted, much in the same way as installing a 

new SIM card for a mobile phone. 

Smart opportunities 

Installation companies can buy Kubu kits at 

trade price and then add a mark up, or offer 

the technology as a means to close a bigger 

deal. Activation is done via the hub and our app 

(available for Android and Apple devices), with 

the whole process taking a matter of minutes. 

Other companies are using the smart-sensor 

opportunity as a sales USP and a means to 

future-proof the installation for later activation. 

Kubu tells you whether your windows and doors 

are locked or unlocked, and there’s also a clever 

geo-fencing feature that uses your GPS location 

to notify you if you have left your house unlocked 

when you leave the boundary of your home. 

With security more 

important than ever 

before and reported 

burglary numbers up, it’s 

also the perfect security 

upgrade for consumers. 

In such a fast-developing 

marketplace, we’re 

getting enquiries by 

the day from installers 

looking to partner up as 

the market emerges. Kubu 

has taken time, from 

concept to adoption, and 

Kubu’s 

Lauren Bromley 

the software, firmware and hardware has been 

done within Avantis, which boasts experience in 

the smart sensor market with the likes of Brita 

water filters, producing 120 million sensors for 

them over the last 10 years. We can also boast 

ISO accredited clean rooms and dedicated 

production lines, much like large multi-national 

electronics brands do, albeit on a smaller scale. 

The smart opportunities for both manufacturers 

and installers are here now and it’s important 

for everyone to future-proof their respective 

business. We’ve got a full marketing programme 

to entice consumers and will happily set these up 

for our Kubu Pro Installers. 

With little direct cost and minimal requirements 

through the supply chain, it’s a wonderful sales 

opportunity for those companies looking to enjoy 

part of the smart home market, which could well 

form the future direction of this industry. 

Contact Kubu: 

0330 555 9545 

kubu-home.com 

@KubuSmart 


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whitesales.co.uk | sales@whitesales.co.uk | 01483 917580

Smart Technology 

SMART SUPPORT, SMART SUCCESS 

As we enter an ‘exciting new phase’ in our industry, installers carry the ultimate responsibility 

to create, react to, and fulfil consumer sales demands – but that doesn’t mean that suppliers 

should offload the sales burden, says Smart Ready’s Giovanni Laporta... 

The installers on the frontline 

are one of the most 

important elements of our 

industry – and they don’t get as 

much recognition as I think they 

should. After all, they are the ones 

marketing and selling our products 

and services, day in day out. 

It’s installers that carry the 

ultimate responsibility to create, 

react to and fulfil consumer sales 

demand. But that doesn’t mean 

that suppliers should offload the 

sales burden. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. 

Businesses further up the supply chain should 

invest heavily in time, expertise and money 

to give installers every sales tool they can to 

facilitate the greatest success possible. This is 

precisely what Smart Ready, in partnership with 

Sac and Hug Technology, have spent the last 18 

months doing. 

Making selling easier 

Smart Ready has been established to help 

consumers and businesses navigate the 

emerging market of smart technologies within 

the door and window industry. By promoting 

the easy adoption of smart products through a 

set of simple requirements, and working with 

certified suppliers, consumers and homeowners 

can simplify and improve life around the home. 

Smart Ready will be the bedrock on which all 

future smart windows and doors will be sold by 

installers. 

Profits for the taking 

Global predictions for 2021’s smart home market 

suggest smart technologies will grow to nearly 

£80bn. With the UK forecast as one of the fastest 

growing adopters, the fenestration industry, and 

particularly installers, are primed to benefit. As 

with any emerging market, more forward thinking 

businesses will do their research and pay due 

diligence about who they should choose to help 

navigate the new world. These kind of businesses 

are unafraid to look to the future, embrace 

change and commit to the highest levels of 

customer satisfaction. 

The boom that came off the back of the first 

lockdown took us all by surprise, and the 

momentum that we have seen through the 

subsequent lockdowns has meant the industry 

has survived better than many. Those glory 

days can’t last though. Consumers will be close 

to having done everything they can through 

traditional renovations and extensions, and now 

we are entering a new, exciting and innovationdriven 

phase in our industry. 

Invented with installers in mind 

Installers are at the forefront of our sector. They 

are the professionals having the hands-on sales 

conversations with the consumer and as such, 

are in the driving seat of understanding their 

needs and desires. This puts them in a powerful 

and influential position. As product designers, we 

rely on the expertise of installers 

to inform and guide us on how 

customers will engage with 

products and are deeply grateful 

for their insight. In turn, Smart 

Ready and certified hardware 

and tech partners such as 

Sac and Hug, have taken 

considerable steps to ensure 

that installers are provided 

with solutions that will meet 

their own needs, and those of 

their customers, by being super 

simple to fit, both at the time 

the windows and doors are installed, or years 

afterwards. On top of that, we’ve created a brand 

that is appealing to consumers and a product 

that has a clean, sleek design, with extensive 

features, offering security-enhancing services. It 

takes all the hard work out of selling. This is what 

Smart Ready is all about for the installer. 

Talent spotting 

The team behind Smart Ready are very aware of 

the significance of the installer’s role within the 

fenestration industry, and we want to take our 

support of installers further and make sure the 

retail sector has everything to embrace the dawn 

of a new smart door and window market. 

The Smart Ready brand will make you stand out 

from your competitors. If you’d like to know how 

Smart Ready and its partners can support the 

success of smart within your business, see us at 

the Fit Show in September; you will be impressed. 

Contact Smart Ready: 

smartready.com 

@hellosmartready 

www.linkedin.com/company/smartready 


CREATING BRIGHT FUTURES 

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Composite Doors 

JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE 

From a global pandemic to Brexit border obstacles, it’s been one hell of a year – but 

business has never been better for Northern Irish doormaker, Apeer. Below, Asa McGillian, 

the company’s MD, tells Total Installer why self-sufficiency pays off in a turbulent world. 

Considering the catalogue of momentous 

world events during the past year or so, 

it’s a wonder that any of us are still in 

business, let alone thriving, as is the window and 

door replacement industry. Living in an atmosphere 

that might be scripted by the producers of 

any Hollywood disaster movie, the Covid-19 

pandemic has levelled the global playing field of 

catastrophes, while a series of other headline 

events has sought to further chip away at our 

collective resilience. 

Paradoxically, in the UK and Ireland, this awful 

disease has somewhat bizarrely struck a nerve: 

the most profound response to the pandemic has 

been to improve our homes; almost as if in doing 

so we are protecting ourselves from the virus. For 

those involved in home improvements, therefore, 

the life changing and often tragic circumstances 

of the spread of Covid-19 have also brought 

extraordinary stimulus to the market. 

And that’s the case for doormaker Apeer. Based 

in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena, the 

region is experiencing additional local challenges 

to compound those we are all facing. For Apeer, 

and pretty much every business in the region, 

the scramble to complete the exit from the EU 

and resultant Irish Sea Border, has presented 

potential obstacles that threaten to be as 

disruptive as the pandemic. 

But for the company’s MD Asa McGillian, 

it’s just another day at the office: “It creates 

more of a nuisance than anything. There is 

no question that the import of goods into the 

province and especially fresh produce, has 

been affected. Lovers of ‘Stinking Bishop’ have 

had to go without,” he says, referring to the 

reported shortages of English cheeses suffered 

throughout the region. “But any problems that 

we have experienced as a manufacturer concern 

difficulties that some mainland-based suppliers 

of materials and components have had with the 

paperwork. We have made it our duty to work with 

them to overcome what are minor admin issues 

and this is no longer a problem. I have even been 

able to get hold of the small sauna I have had my 

eye on for some time,” he says with a grin. 

“Lovers of ‘Stinking 

Bishop’ have had 

to go without” 

“Sending goods to our retail installers in our 

main markets of England, Scotland, Wales and 

Southern Ireland, is not a problem,” he explains. 

“In fact, whilst there are reports of some door 

manufacturers experiencing severe delays due 

to problems with the supply of door blanks from 

the Far East, we are still able to supply doorsets 

in 12 to 15 days from order. This is because we 

manufacture most of our own blanks and glass 

units and use materials and components all 

sourced locally from the UK and Ireland. There 

are global supply problems with a number of 

components and materials, which the latest 

disaster, the blockage of the Suez Canal – can 

you believe it? – further disrupted. But so far, we 

have been largely unaffected,” Asa adds. 

Apeer operates from a modern, 120,000ft 2 

factory, which it shares with sister brand Lumi 

windows, and Ace Fixings, out of which Apeer 

grew more than 16 years ago. The factory, the 

area’s second biggest employer, provides a 

convenient 30-minute drive to the ports that 

provide excellent access to its key mainland 

markets: “We have no problems in getting our 

completed doors to our customers,” insists Asa. 

“We have become largely self-sufficient as a 

company. It has always made commercial sense 

to us to be in control of as many of our processes 

as possible. It’s just smart common sense,” he 

says. “We want to sell as many doors as we can. 

That’s all the incentive that we need.” 

Contact Apeer: 

0345672 9333 

www.apeer.co.uk 

@ApeerDoors 


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0113 277 8722 sales@morleyglass.co.uk

The new range of Lumi aluminium 

windows has been created after 

listening to the wishes of window 

installers. The new range is a 

lighter, slimmer window that 

still retains its designer good 

looks but now makes it a perfect 

replacement option for the home 

improvement market. 

LIGHT WEIGHT, 

BUT NOT A LIGHTWEIGHT 

Lumi’s iconic ‘frameless’ look and 

super-slim sightlines are now available 

in easier-to-handle aluminium units. 

They are everything that’s good about 

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PROTECTS OUR PLANET 

PROTECTS THEIR HOME 

Lumi windows are filled with Argon gas, 

use low E-glass and have internal thermal 

breaks to retain more heat. That’s good 

news for your customers’ fuel bills and 

brilliant news for the environment. We also 

believe that striving for the ultimate window 

shouldn’t compromise security. That’s why 

every Lumi window has a high-security 

locking system and anti-leverage hinge bolts 

as standard across the range. 

EASY DOES IT 

Lumi’s light, slim windows are easy to 

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And because of their new, slim profile 

they slot straight into the cavity left by 

the windows you’re replacing. 

To find out more, call our sales team 

on 03300 415 014 or email sales@lumiwindows.com 

www.lumiwindows.com

Aluminium Bi-folds 

A SLICE OF THE PREMIUM SECTOR 

AluK says that its F82 bi-fold is the ideal product for customers who want to tap into the 

‘£250bn savings mountain’ accumulated by affluent households after more than a year of 

Covid restrictions. Here’s why... 

Launched at the FIT Show in 2017, AluK says 

its Luminia F82 bi-fold set a new benchmark 

in the sector for aesthetics, performance, 

security and thermal efficiency – and gave 

fabricators an opportunity to differentiate their 

premium offering from the ‘me too’ section of the 

mass bi-fold market. 

Now ‘tested, tried and trusted’ in the premium 

sector of that market, AluK says that the F82 is 

the ideal product for customers who want to tap 

into the £250bn savings mountain which the 

Bank of England estimates affluent households 

have accumulated after almost a year in various 

forms of lockdown. 

In terms of aesthetics, the F82 is packed with 

contemporary design features. The most obvious 

is the slim sightlines, which measure a consistent 

97mm all the way round the frame, cill and jamb 

and just 122mm at the interlock. This creates a 

bigger expanse of glazing to let more light flood in, 

with a distinctive square bead emphasising the 

minimalist lines. 

There is also a distinctive pop-up T-handle on the 

traffic door which, says AluK, helps to set the F82 

even further apart from less premium offerings. 

Available in white, black, anthracite, silver and 

brushed stainless steel, this bespoke handle 

has been rigorously tested to 25,000 cycles, 

equivalent to around 80 years of regular use. 

Class-leading 

When it comes to performance, heavy duty 150kg 

capacity stainless steel compact rollers on the 

bottom of the F82 ensure that it opens and closes 

smoothly and effortlessly time after time; while 

class-leading weather performance (up to Class 4 

air permeability and Class E900 water tightness) 

guarantees that the door will withstand anything 

the British weather can throw at it. 

The AluK F82 bi-fold has achieved PAS24 security 

accreditation, ensuring that it can be fitted in 

new-build projects which require compliance with 

Approved Document Q, and it boasts impressive 

U-value performance to satisfy even the most 

demanding specification (1.34 W/m 2 K double 

glazed and 0.9 W/m 2 K triple glazed). 

Like the rest of the AluK bi-fold range, the F82 

is extremely versatile. There are open-in and 

open-out, left and right options available for 

doors between two and seven panels in sizes up 

to 1200(w) x 2600(h), as well as corner posts to 

suit almost any configuration. 

Fitter-friendly 

For installers, it is as consistently fitter-friendly 

as the rest of the AluK range and includes two low 

sightline cill options as well. Integrated cills have a 

new outer frame profile, which can be easily clipped 

onto either side of the frame, rather than sitting on 

top, and an extensive range of sub sills mean the 

F82 can be positioned in virtually any construction. 

Contact AluK: 

01291 639 739 

www.aluk.co.uk 

@AluK_GB 


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Composite Doors 

INVESTMENT, COMMITMENT, CULTURE 

With business reputations on the line amid product shortages, Stephen Nadin, managing 

director of composite door manufacturer, Endurance Doors, tells Total Installer what it takes 

to create an ‘outstanding’ customer experience. 

Alongside the current, unprecedented 

demand for composite doors, the sector 

has suffered from glass, hardware, profile, 

– and now GRP slab shortages. Many businesses 

are stretched and tomorrow’s focus is a careful 

balance of satisfying short-term demand, while 

implementing a long-term strategy. 

Stephen Nadin 

The reputations of businesses in this sector are 

coming under increasing scrutiny for a multitude 

of reasons including product quality, availability, 

communication and ultimately, the level of 

customer care. 

In recent years, Endurance Doors has made a 

significant commitment to the development of a 

business culture that is completely focussed on 

an exemplary customer experience. 

We believe that communication is key to 

developing and maintaining strong and profitable 

relationships with our Installer Partners and 

suppliers alike. Throughout the pandemic, we 

have regularly updated our customers on our 

position and managed expectations wherever 

necessary. We’ve also been in daily contact with 

our key suppliers to ensure we limit the impact of 

potential stock issues. 

Product performance is at the core of our offering 

and that’s why we introduced a three-step wet 

glazing process last year, which has contributed 

to the reduction of product quality issues 

associated with leaking cassettes, to near on 

zero. We’ve also implemented a 3mm bowing 

guarantee for our solid timber core slab, the only 

company in this segment to do so, again helping 

to build confidence and trust in our brand from 

our Installer Partners – and the consumer too. 

Reputation is paramount for us, and our 4.7 

‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot is the highest of 

any of the composite door brands, while the trade 

comments elsewhere on social media are very 

favourable too. 

£1.1m investment programme 

Our growth plan to support the business – which 

very recently has gone through a management 

buy-out with myself and other co-directors – will 

help cement our long-term vision in terms of 

growth and opportunity, and we’re already putting 

in place a £1.1m investment programme to help 

re-classify us as a world class operation. 

This will see the building of a new 30,000ft 2 

distribution hall, featuring a new product routing 

system through the factory, along with new 

vehicles and a new mezzanine floor to add further 

office space. 

We’re also increasing our CNC machines to 

seven, along with two new vac formers and a 

new extraction system, which will provide the 

infrastructure to support growth for the longterm, 

beyond the current accelerated levels of 

consumer demand. 

Each door we manufacture is made to order 

without the use of generic blanks. We use an LVL 

slab that’s carefully sourced, fully traceable and 

used elsewhere in the construction sector, which 

means we have more manufacturing processes 

and procedures than most others. 

It’s also why we’ve recently committed £200k 

to the adoption of ‘Big Change’ software, to help 

transform the business from one which has been 

paper-led, to one that’s run and measured with 

digital technologies and corresponding KPIs, 

which will help make us more adaptive, efficient, 

and effective. 

In many ways, we view Endurance Doors as a 

manufacturing entity with a wonderful culture and 

the manufacture of bespoke solid core composite 

doors is the result of our efforts. 

We’re taking inspiration from outside the industry 

so that we can harness best practice and modern 

manufacturing techniques to improve what we 

do, with customer care and the provision of an 

outstanding experience the real focus. 

Contact Endurance Doors: 

01652 659259 

endurancedoors.co.uk 

@EnduranceDoors 


BRUNDLE 

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www.fhbrundle.co.uk 

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Advertorial 

SLIDING TO SUCCESS WITH VISOGLIDE 

MFT continues to invest in growth with the aluminium Visoglide Plus sliding patio door. 

I 

t’s safe to say that Made For Trade (MFT) know 

a fair bit about bi-folding doors, having spent the 

last eight years perfecting the balancing act of 

price, quality and service. They can now say that 

they are one of the largest door manufacturers 

in the UK, delivering an ever-growing number of 

quality-checked doorsets, direct to site, every 

single week. Now they have got that down to a fine 

art, they are planning on repeating the process with 

the Visoglide Plus sliding patio door. 

Sliding patio doors fill the same spaces, but 

offer a slightly different solution to bi-fold 

doors. Sliders can be more suited to smaller 

spaces which might not have the room for the 

perpendicular stacking of the bi-folds when they 

are open. Compact opening then, along with the 

advantages of larger glazed areas make them a 

great option when choosing between products – 

and customers like options! Modern aluminium 

sliders don’t come with any of the bulk and 

distortion issues associated with PVC options and 

the product area is enjoying a bit of a renaissance 

now that properly thermally broken systems are 

the norm. 

Bradley Gaunt, managing director of MFT, 

commented: “As a leading aluminium systems 

manufacturer we often get asked for price 

comparisons on sliding patio doors. Historically, 

bi-fold sales have dominated the market and 

we favour volume production to deliver the 

best value for our customers. Over the last 

year or so though, the voices asking for sliders 

have increased to a point where we believe the 

demand is there to warrant setting up a dedicated 

MFT production facility to supply it, and that’s 

exactly what we’ve done.” 

MFT have invested £500,000 in acquiring and 

kitting out a 50,000ft 2 facility in Hartlepool, 

initially creating around 20 new jobs in 

the process. The new site is capable of 

manufacturing 100+ doorsets per week, with 

phased expansion plans to quadruple that 

number as market demand dictates. 

MFT’s proven manufacturing recipe comes 

straight from the bi-folding door factory, with 

100% QC checks taking place on every completed 

product, before it is carefully packaged and finally 

loaded onto one of MFT’s next generation delivery 

vehicles for its journey to your site. 

MFT’s Chris Wann answers the question ‘Why 

Visoglide?’: “We chose to fabricate the Smart 

Visoglide Plus as the product shares the Visofold 

reputation for being a hassle-free trade offering, 

especially when it’s been precision fabricated by 

us! Our company mission statement is ‘the best 

products at the best prices with the best service’ 

and we always apply it with the trade customers 

in mind! When it comes to trade products, the 

customers need to be confident that the product 

they have chosen will be fit and forget! And of 

course it’s got to be at the most competitive price 

point in the market!” 

MFT’s initial trade-oriented offering will be 2 

track doors of multiple configurations, up to 6.4m 

wide and 2.5m high, which could be extended if 

the market demands. Stock colours include white, 

grey, black, dual colour grey on white – and those 

willing to wait a little longer for their product 

can order in any RAL colour they like. Hardware 

will be offered in white, black, grey or brushed 

stainless steel. 

The configuration options chosen allow all doors to 

be supplied fully assembled, unless you specify a kit 

form option, and all can be glazed after the door is 

installed, as opposed to having pre-glazed panels. 

Glass units are available through MFT, but will be 

delivered direct to site from the glass supplier. 

Further details, brochure and quote forms at: 

www.madefortrade.co/visoglide-patio-doors/ 

Contact Made For Trade: 

01642 610799 


@MadeForTrade1 


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Updates 

Tommy Trinder is enabling installers to determine which composite doors are added to its comprehensive 

composite door sales app, Framepoint, by putting it to the vote. 

Every month, Framepoint users are being asked to take part in a poll to rank a selection of composite doors from one 

to 10, based on the designs they sell most. The team at Tommy Trinder then count and verify the votes and upload the 

winning styles to the platform. 

Founder and CEO of Tommy Trinder, Chris Brunsdon, said: “The benefit for installers is that they get all the composite 

doors they need, regardless of manufacturer, and they can quote these seamlessly in one app alongside all their other 

products; casements, bi-folds, patios, sash windows.” 

Framepoint also features a popular ‘makeover tool’, allowing installers to overlay new windows and doors onto an 

image of the client’s house – a feature that Chris says is “really helping installers win orders.” www.tommytrinder.com 

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

COMPOSITE POLL PUTS INSTALLERS IN CONTROL 

THE 'IDEAL' BI-FOLD CHOICE FOR GARDEN ROOMS 

Alutech says the versatility of its BF73 aluminium door range has made it the ‘ideal choice’ 

for the boom in home offices and garden rooms. 

Approved Alutech fabricator, William Woods, MD of IDF Aluminium, has incorporated the system 

into his new range of aluminium garden rooms, sold and delivered by Aliwoods. 

William commented: “Having fabricated Alutech for a few years now, there was no doubt in using 

their BF73 system for the bi-folds. We are offering three garden room size options, which all come 

fitted with a set of Alutech bi-folding doors as standard. We began by installing three show models 

but have already started selling them and are currently in the process of updating our website, so 

please visit our Facebook page.” www.alutechsystems.co.uk 

EASIER INSTALLATION WITH SELF-CLOSING FITTING 

Bohle has launched an improved version of the Alva self-closing hydraulic patch fitting, which offers ‘a sleek 

and stylish solution’ for the controlled operation of glass doors. 

According to Bohle, the new Alva patch fitting is now even easier to install because it can be secured with just two screws 

instead of four. In addition to using fewer components, the updated design means there is now 29mm between the first hole 

in the baseplate and the wall, which gives fitters more room to position a drill. Once in place, four grub screws can be used 

to fine-tune the vertical alignment of the door and the zero position setting, with horizontal adjustment offered via one easily 

accessible screw. Suitable for both interior and exterior applications, a stand-out feature of Alva is that all the technology 

required for operation is packaged in one slimline unit. This means it can be fitted directly onto the floor, instead of creating a 

recess to house an underfloor box, which presents further time savings for installers. www.bohle.com 

'THE PERFECT HIGHER-SECURITY OPTION' 

Jack Aluminium can now offer fabricators and installers a premium security accredited, large remote access 

control double doorset option, after its TD68 thermal commercial door passed STS202 – BR2 testing, with a 

new hardware offering on a 2.5m high double doorset. 

STS202 – BR2 accredits doors for protection against continuous attacks using hand tools and levers, focusing on the 

glazing, beading and locking systems. 

Jeff Pearson, Jack Aluminium’s sales and marketing director, said: “In the commercial market there is an increasing 

demand for more secure door options… The TD68 continues to perform and pass testing standards, remaining one of 

the most secure and robust aluminium commercial doors available. It is the perfect option for where a higher-security 

standard door is needed.” www.jackaluminium.co.uk 



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MAY/JUNE 2021 T I 47

FIT Show 2021 

ARE YOU FIT AND READY FOR FIT? 

With showrooms and pubs re-opened, and the UK vaccine rollout marching ahead, it’s time 

to get ready for the biggest business event of the year, as FIT Show returns to the NEC this 

September. Below, the show’s organisers offer up their top tips to optimise your experience. 

1 

Save the date! 

We’ve all been there. Turned up to the wrong 

job, on the wrong day and then missed out 

on a day’s work on the back of it. Save yourself 

time (and the embarrassment of walking into an 

empty hall at the NEC) by locking FIT Show 2021 – 

September 26 - 28th – in your calendar now! 

Visitors can pre register for free entry at: www. 

fitshow.co.uk, and registering early means that 

you’ll be first in line to receive updates about the 

show, such as all the amazing and exclusive show 

discounts and offers, before everyone else. We’ll 

even send you a reminder to turn up (just in case)! 

2 

Plan your visit... 

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail! For 

the first time ever we will be opening FIT 

Show on a Sunday. That means less time off the 

tools for you, and why not plan your trip early to 

make a weekend of it? 

The NEC is the UK’s number one venue for trade 

and consumer events, with on-site parking, 

access via air and rail and more than 2,000 hotel 

rooms on site within Resorts World, which is a 

24/7 leisure destination. But have you visited 

Birmingham city centre? Make a weekend of your 

trip to FIT, spend time shopping in the Bullring 

or tasting the delights of the famous ‘Curry Mile’ 

before you get down to business at FIT Show from 

Sunday 26th September. 

3 

Do your homework... 

Your trip to FIT Show really will be your biggest 

business day (or days) since our last event in 

2019. Don’t just rock up and get swept away by all 

the shiny new stuff – and trust us, there is going to 

be plenty of shiny new stuff! It really does pay to do 

your homework before you visit. 

Pictured above: The FIT Show late night is ‘a notoriously relaxed affair’ with exhibitors often hosting their own drink receptions 

“It’s been a long time 

since the industry has 

got together, and we’re 

predicting a lot 

of excitement” 

Take advantage of handy tools such as our new 

product trails. Use the search function on the FIT 

Show website to plan your visit, see which brands 

are exhibiting and highlight which products you 

don’t want to miss. If you register now, we’ll send 

updates and reminders to help you maximise your 

time in the halls and make your visit to FIT as 

profitable as possible. 

4 

Lock in the late night! 

As well as opening FIT Show up on a 

Sunday for the first time, we’re going to 

be running our late night opening on Monday 

27th September too. This is an extra chance for 

you to make a visit to FIT Show after your usual 

business day and have an ‘after hours’ preview 

of all the latest products and services on display. 

This is a notoriously relaxed affair with our 

exhibitors hosting their own drink receptions and 

mini events on their stand. Don’t be surprised 

if you see a marching band heading through the 

aisles alongside a display of the best bi-folds or 

sliding sash windows! 

5 

Raise the Bar! 

We are anticipating that this year’s FIT 

Show is going to be pretty epic. It’s been a 

long time since the industry has got together, and 

we’re predicting a lot of excitement. We urge you 

to drink responsibly (start your training now and 

build up slowly!). 

And when you’ve visited all of those stands, 

reconnected with all your business chums and 

had a good play with all of the latest products and 

tools that are on display, we’ll see you at the bar! 

Contact FIT Show: 

0207 886 3100 

fitshow.co.uk 

@fitshow 


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EASIER CONVERSIONS 

Business management tools don’t just improve your business efficiency, they can also help 

increase conversions, as installer Thames Valley Windows can testify. Total Installer reports. 

“I 

think that we have tightened up - I don’t 

just think I know,” says Paul Mills, senior 

design manager, Thames Valley Windows. 

“Our lead to sale conversion rate was 2.3 for the 

year before we introduced Business Pilot. It went 

to 1.8 last year - that’s a 22% increase. 

“Business Pilot has made us more efficient as a 

business - that’s not only how we run jobs but also 

how we sell.” 

Thames Valley Windows switched to Business Pilot 

in 2019, having previously run on another CRM 

and accompanying management tools. As a cloudbased 

business and installation management 

tool, Business Pilot brought everything together 

into a single platform, supporting Thames Valley 

Windows in managing the lead to sale process, job 

scheduling installation and aftercare and finance. 

Business Pilot also provides an overview of 

performance through its Sales Dashboard. This 

tracks leads, demos, daily, weekly and monthly 

sales, plus closing ratios. 

“There’s a lot that Business Pilot does to support 

operations, the drag and drop scheduling facility, 

so you can move jobs around without having to 

make multiple changes, but it’s also transformed 

our approach to sales and making us much more 

effective as a team,” Paul explains. 

“Other than top level figures as to how we were 

performing at a business wide level, we weren’t 

really tracking data and performance. 

“Now we can go far deeper and be much more 

effective in our analysis. For example we used to 

hand out leads to the sales team based on a rough 

sense of how busy they were but without really 

understanding value. 

“We now attribute an initial value and so I can see 

that if Rob has £700K of leads and Marcus has 

say, only £250K, I maybe need to allocate more 

leads to Marcus. 

“We can also see conversion rates and how people 

are progressing against each job.” 

New capability, introduced in February this year, 

also makes the sales process flow even better. The 

new Business Pilot Status Progression tool is an 

easy-to-use, but powerful addition to the Business 

Pilot platform, which at its simplest, allows you to 

map your lead-to-contract or contract-to-delivery 

process digitally. 

Saving time 

That simplifies things for team members; they’re 

prompted as they go to do each thing that they 

need to do to get the job done, and because 

everyone is following the same process, managers 

have full visibility of where a job is at any time. It 

allows you to automate certain processes, saving 

you and your team time. 

“You have much better visibility of the customer 

right through their journey,” says Paul. “That 

delivers a number of benefits. 

“For example, as a sales team we tend to remain 

the first point of contact for customers. Until we 

introduced Business Pilot, we’d end up taking 

calls about operational issues and say that we’d 

call [the customer] back. It might be something 

relatively straight forward, but we’d still need to 

speak to operations. 

“Now we just look. We see exactly where we are 

and explain that to the customer in minutes, rather 

than having to go back a couple of hours later. 

“That reflects incredibly well on us because it 

Paul Mills, Thames Valley Windows 

reassures our customers that they’re dealing with 

a very professional company where everyone has 

visibility of what’s going on... 

“If we’re going to call Mr Smith on Friday afternoon, 

we make sure that we do. It’s flagged for us so 

when we call Mr Smith as promised on Friday, he’s 

‘oh, wow, this is an amazing company’. 

“We have other customers who need stuff to go 

through planning, so frequently we’ve got cases to 

call back two-months three-months down the line. 

“Frankly, in the ‘bad old days’, they would have 

simply slipped through the cracks. Now, I can say 

to a customer, ‘OK, you’re not ready now, when will 

be a good time to call back?’ and I set myself a 

note to do so in a couple of months. We call back, 

they get a sense of how well we’re run - and it 

makes conversions far easier to achieve. 

“My success as a manger here is completely 

interconnected with the introduction of BP. As 

we and our team use it over a longer period, we 

continue to extract more and more efficiencies from 

it, and it delivers more.” 

Contact Business Pilot: 

0333 050 7560 

www.businesspilot.co.uk, 

@BusinessPilotUK 


Product Focus 

A 'SHORTCUT 

TO SALES' 

NEW GARDEN ROOMS SHINE BRIGHT 

As well as ‘stunning good looks and 

outstanding technical performance’, 

Ultraframe says its garden rooms can 

also offer installers ‘a shortcut to sales’ 

thanks to a comprehensive marketing 

support package. 

Marketing director, Alex Hewitt, said: “We 

didn’t just want to create a compelling 

product offer, we also wanted to be sure 

that our garden room customers were also 

fully-equipped to sell, with a professional 

marketing support package that makes 

selling easy. Working closely with our 

digital partner, ICAAL, we have created an 

extremely strong package of tools to help 

our customers generate and convert garden 

rooms leads and be set-up to do so within a 

matter of days.” 

A free of charge ‘online designer’ allows 

homeowners ‘to walk step-by-step through 

the process of designing their ideal garden 

room’; a tool that, according to Ultraframe, 

would cost an installer thousands of pounds 

to produce themselves. 

In addition, a new retail brochure provides 

‘all the information a homeowner needs 

to reassure them that an Ultraframe 

garden room is the best choice for energy 

efficiency, brightness, durability, low 

maintenance, and fade-free components’. 

The brochure can be personalised through 

Ultraframe’s Cuckoo online marketing 

system, where a selection of imagery can 

also be accessed. 

Garden room specification and installation 

guides are also available, along with an 

installation video that can be viewed on the 

Ultraframe You Tube channel, as well as via 

the Ultraframe installer app. 

Ultraframe has launched a new range of 

contemporary garden rooms, which like all 

Ultraframe systems, offers ‘an interior space 

that is flooded with natural light’. 

A unique selling point of both The Studio and The 

Pavilion styles are the full length glazed panels 

which can be situated at various points in the 

roof, making them what Ultraframe claims are 

‘the brightest garden rooms on the market’. 

Ultraframe’s marketing director, Alex Hewitt, said: 

“When we started designing our garden rooms, 

light was a key consideration for us – as it is on 

all Ultraframe systems. We know that whether 

people use them for working, working-out, or 

relaxing, that natural light is vital to create the 

perfect interior ambience. 

“Ultraframe garden rooms are available in two 

styles – the Studio with its reverse lean-to roof, 

and the Pavilion with its Georgian style roof – and 

it is a key unique selling point that both styles can 

feature stunning full length glazed panels in the 

roof. These can be situated in various locations, 

dependent on where the homeowner would like to 

bring natural light into the room below.” 

The front elevation of Ultraframe garden rooms 

feature French doors and full-length windows and 

further full-length windows can be added into 

the side walls, if desired. The full-length glazing 

panels are designed to ensure that the room 

will maintain a comfortable temperature all year 

round, as well as protecting furniture within from 

fading. 

While the glazing panels in the roof are very large, 

Ultraframe claims that its garden rooms are twice 

as energy efficient as other premium garden 

rooms, and says the roof and the walls are warm 

enough to meet Building Regulation requirements 

for home extensions. 

Quick to build 

With all sizes and configurations available on a 

10-day lead time, Ultraframe garden rooms are 

also fast to fit, thanks to familiar components that 

ensure a speedy build. 

Alex added: “When we were developing our new 

garden room range, we really focused on the 

speed at which they could be delivered and built. 

“Both styles of Ultraframe garden room use 

components already familiar to our installers and 

can be watertight in just one day. As they are familiar 

components, no additional training is required, 

although we are running a series of webinars to 

ensure that anyone who wants further information 

has a forum to learn and ask questions.” 

www.ultraframegardenrooms.co.uk 



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Updates 

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

SUPALITE UPHOLDS LEAD TIME 

SupaLite has reported that it is upholding 

its usual 7-10 day lead time, despite 

an influx of new business – and a sales 

increase of 59% 

With increased market demand in 2020, 2021 

has seen continued success for SupaLite, with 

the company beating its record for the number 

of orders in one week at the end of February, 

‘and still continuing to climb’. 

The growing demand for the SupaLite tiled roof 

system was matched with improvements to 

the company’s operations, allowing SupaLite to 

successfully manage the influx of orders. 

The company also invested in a second Haffner 

machining centre, costing approximately 

£300,000, enabling it to improve efficiency. 

Further to this, new manufacturing software 

has advanced productivity when prepping jobs. 

In addition, the company, which also 

manufactures the SkyVista glass panel 

system, strengthened its workforce with the 

rearrangement of roles, and the introduction 

of several new-starters to effectively meet the 

increased business demand. 

Steve Hacking, managing director of SupaLite, 

said: “The desire for home improvements has 

sky-rocketed since the start of the coronavirus 

pandemic, and at SupaLite we pride ourselves 

on being able to keep up with the new demand.” 

“With the additional business we have been 

lucky to achieve, it is important for us to 

maintain the level of service our customers 

have been accustomed to receiving, and to 

ensure the many new businesses who have 

joined SupaLite are satisfied with our service, 

so they continue to work with us.” 

Alan Watters, technical director at SupaLite, 

added: “The success we are having with 

maintaining our lead times at SupaLite is 

testament to the strength of our supply chain 

partnerships.” 

Working alongside installers and home 

improvement companies nationwide, SupaLite 

says its tiled roof and SkyVista systems ‘continue 

to shine as both quality retro-fit systems to 

replace and improve existing conservatory and 

orangery roofs, and effective high-performance 

solutions to the new-build market’. 

www.supaliteroof.co.uk 

IMMERSIVE 3D CONSERVATORY SELLING FROM ARC 

Augmented Reality Creations (ARC) has 

reported ‘huge demand’ amongst the home 

improvement industry for InPlace, its 

new app, ‘with installers reporting a large 

number of customers opting to use its unique 

features after experiencing the benefits’. 

With technology at our fingertips, it’s no longer 

effective for installers to sell conservatories 

using generic images from a brochure or 

online says ARC – thanks to smartphones 

and websites like Pinterest, homeowners 

understand the market better than ever, 

meaning they’re less likely to commit to a big 

investment without first clearly seeing the 

value of their purchase. 

As a result, more and more installers are 

looking for new ways to help them win more 

sales, and ARC reports that InPlace has been 

‘taking the market by storm’. 

Using augmented reality software, InPlace 

is an app that allows installers to show their 

customers virtual, explorable, life-size 3D 

models of their conservatory, helping them make 

a decision and ultimately winning more sales. 

The app virtually places an installer’s 

conservatory design in their customer’s 

garden or attached to their home, helping them 

visualise where it will end up and how it will 

look in real life. 

Installers can also use the app to 

demonstrate different conservatory designs 

in their showroom, without the need for any 

additional space. 

ARC COO and co-founder, Andrew Clear, 

commented: “The conservatory market is 

booming at the moment, but despite that, 

homeowners are still having to rely on simple 

computer drawings to make important – and 

costly – decisions. 

“InPlace transforms these drawings into 

immersive 3D experiences using their 

mobile phone or tablet – installers can offer 

their customers a much better experience, 

ultimately increasing their order values and 

conversion rates. 

“InPlace is simple, affordable and easy to use, 

and as an installer, it’s the app you need to 

step into the future.” 

Visit the App Store/Google Play Store to 

download InPlace. 

arc-solutions.co.uk/ 



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

Low-Pitch 

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RAISING THE STANDARDS IN LIGHTWEIGHT ROOFING

Orangeries 

The King family had a dated conservatory in need of a revamp – and 

also wanted to add extra space to enjoy open plan living. They were 

keen to add a large, contemporary glass roof to their extension 

and worked with their local Ultraframe installer, Niddal Windows 

and Conservatories, to design an orangery extension featuring the 

Ultraframe Classic Roof. 

Homeowner Mr King said: “When we started to think about demolishing our 

existing conservatory and creating an open plan extension, we knew that the 

roof was key. We wanted something that looked modern and after doing our 

research, we soon found that Ultraframe was the best option, with the Classic 

roof and its new slimline ridge fitting the bill perfectly. We love the open-plan 

space and the light it has brought into the back of our home is fantastic.” 

The new slimline ridge was launched in January along with a number of other 

enhancements to Ultraframe’s Classic system, including a bi-fold support 

beam, super bolster, chambered box gutter and enhanced structural design 

guide. Unsurprisingly, the slimline ridge has proved extremely popular with 

Classic users since its launch, as it reinforces Classic’s status as the ideal 

roof for large span contemporary orangeries and extensions. 

Commenting about the new slimline ridge, Ultraframe marketing director, Alex 

Hewitt, said: “The new slimline ridge offers a much more modern look than 

the usual Classic radius-end and looks similar to a lantern-style ridge-end. 

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

AN ORANGERY INSTALLATION FIT FOR KINGS 

This new slimline look, coupled with the external aluminium option makes 

Classic a fantastic choice for modern conservatory designs, especially those 

featuring aluminium bi-folds. 

“While the Classic system has been around for almost 40 years, the new 

slimline ridge has brought it bang up to date in terms of aesthetics, while still 

offering all the configurability and technical benefits that it always has.” 

BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN HOME AND GARDEN 

The Renshaw family live in a beautiful Arts and Crafts-style house 

in Lymington, Hampshire. While their home was already large, the 

family wanted a new living space to blur the lines between their 

home and garden and add a contemporary twist to their home. 

Their local Ultraframe Ultra Installer – Forest Edge Home Improvements – is 

located a stone’s throw from the property and they were able to design a 

stunning orangery-style extension using the newly-enhanced Classic roof. 

The Classic system benefited from a series of enhancements in January 

2021, including the new slimline ridge which features on this project. 

Explaining more about the project, homeowner Mrs Renshaw said: “We 

really wanted to enjoy the views of our garden and we decided that an 

orangery would be a beautiful way to do this. 

“After meeting with James from Forest Edge Home Improvements, he 

showed us the new look Ultraframe Classic roof, the internal pelmet 

system, and the external cornice. Together, they allowed us to create the 

effect we wanted, but in a much more cost-efficient and contemporary 

way than a traditionally built orangery.” 

Forest Edge designed a contemporary extension which is an impressive 

8m wide. Topped with a Classic aluminium roof in contemporary black, the 

extension also features a two-tier black cornice. The overall effect is that of 

a stunning, modern orangery that has become the hub of the home. Black 

aluminium bi-folds span the full width of the extension, ensuring a seamless 

link to the garden and perfectly complementing the aluminium Classic roof. 

Mrs Renshaw added: “Not only have we gained a lot of extra square 

footage, but our new extension also has the wow factor due to the glass 

roof and bi-fold doors which let in lots of natural light, whatever the 

weather. We love it and now spend all our time in the new room! The 

customer service from Forest Edge Home Improvements was excellent 

throughout and we would highly recommend them.” 

Also launched for the Classic roof in January 2021, in addition to the new 

slimline ridge, are a bi-fold support beam, super bolster, chambered box gutter 

and enhanced Structural Design Guide. To find out more about the industry’s 

original conservatory roof system, visit www.ultraframetrade.co.uk 



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Julie Warner 

Product Manager 

Carl F Groupco 

Get in touch 

and speak to 

one of our 

experts today: 

t. Peterborough: 

01733 393330 

t. Cumbernauld: 

01236 721557 

e. sales@carlfgroupco.co.uk 

w. www.carlfgroupco.co.uk 

Scott Dowling 

Cairngorm Group 



Contract Customer Talk Service 

REAL PLUS POINTS FOR INSTALLERS 

Sternfenster says it is redefining the traditional role of a fabricator with its ‘next 

generation’ service offering, Sternfenster Plus. Total Installer spoke to sales director, 

Nathan Court, to find out the benefits for installers... 

Q: What is Sternfenster Plus? 

Nathan Court (NC): Sternfenster Plus is an 

online portal that gives our installer customers 

access to a huge amount of information, designed 

to help them run their business more efficiently. 

In addition to a regularly updated news feed, they 

can check the status of all their quotes, contracts 

and deliveries, access training and marketing 

materials and even tap into a live production feed 

that provides real time data on the capacity of our 

PVC and aluminium factories. 

Q: Can you explain why you developed 

Sternfenster Plus? 

NC: We developed it primarily as a 

communication tool for our customers, one that 

enhances our existing customer service and 

business management support. 

Over the last 12 months or so, lockdown has 

served to generate significant demand, but it has 

also created huge challenges in the supply chain. 

Sternfenster Plus has enabled us to provide 

additional support to our customers, to improve our 

service and a big part of that is because we are 

now better equipped to manage their expectations. 

Sternfenster’s Nathan Court 

We’ve gained a huge amount of traction with new 

and existing customers because of it. 

Q: How does the Sternfenster Plus news 

feed differ from regular industry news 

channels? 

NC: The news feed is updated on a regular basis 

and is also emailed to our customers directly. It 

includes content that helps to keep them up to 

speed on current affairs in the industry, but it also 

provides insight into working life at Sternfenster. 

We have used it to pass on advice from the 

GGF, such as the latest Covid-related health 

and safety guidance, but we can also make our 

customers aware of issues that we are facing as 

a business. These could be to do with the supply 

chain, delays on certain materials, lead times 

or price fluctuations, but we also use the news 

feed to provide updates on other challenges here 

at Sternfenster. For instance, there have been 

occasions where as many as 15 members of staff 

would be self-isolating due to the virus, in which 

Continued on page 60 


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Customer Service 

Continued from page 58 

case we could be as much as 600 hours down on 

production time over the course of a week. That 

obviously puts additional strain on our production 

schedule and the news feed gives us an excellent 

means to communicate that. 

Q: How much information can customers 

access with the live production capacity 

feed? 

NC: Our production capacity feed is a real standout 

feature of Sternfenster Plus, and as far as we 

are aware, it is unique in the industry. It gives 

our customers complete visibility of both our 

PVC-U and aluminium production facilities, in real 

time. Again, this is about making the most of an 

opportunity to communicate with our customers. 

We are not just saying to our customers ‘demand 

is high, so you will have to wait a bit longer for 

your order’, we are giving them precise, live 

information on the status of our production lines, 

broken down into product type. Currently, in our 

PVC factory, you can see that we are operating 

at a relatively high capacity on certain products, 

but you can also see how much capacity we 

have in our aluminium factory, which is why we 

are currently offering five-day lead times on our 

Smart Visofold and Alitherm 300 window. This 

time last year, this wouldn’t have been possible, 

we were much closer to our limit, so this is a 

very neat way of demonstrating the value of 

the investments we have made in aluminium 

production since then. 

However, while competitive order to delivery times 

are important, the transparency we have with our 

production feed has actually allowed us to steer the 

conversation away from headline lead times. 

Again, it’s put more of a focus on how we are 

managing the expectations of our customers, 

of improving service – advantages that can be 

passed on to homeowner customers as well. 

Q: Would you agree that Covid has been 

a catalyst for change in fabrication and 

supply? 

NC: Sternfenster is a family run business and those 

family values have always been reflected in the 

service we provide to our customers. But the last 12 

months or so have absolutely reinforced the need for 

better communication and increased support. 

It’s why we’ve been so comprehensive with what 

we offer through Sternfenster Plus, it’s much 

more than just a portal to track the progress of 

orders or view production capacity, it literally 

gives our customers everything they need to run 

their business. 

They can access images, brochures and posters 

to help with marketing, or they can download our 

accreditations, certifications and data sheets that 

outline all the technical information relating to our 

product offering. 

It even provides training, with guidance on how 

to use our online ordering systems, right down 

to video tutorials on how to correctly install our 

products! 

Fabrication is now more than just the 

manufacturing and supply of product, it’s about 

working in a smarter, more efficient way with a 

supplier who can provide a broader, more holistic 

level of service and support. 

Contact Sternfenster: 

01522 512525 

www.sternfenster.com 

@Sternfenster 


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Article Garden Rooms: Step-by-Step 

ROOM TO GROW WITH KYUBE 

The addition of a garden building to provide extra living space is on the rise. Below, Eurocell 

outlines the key considerations when installing its ‘Kyube’ garden range, and lists the top five 

reasons why the product is a great choice for installers looking to add a new revenue stream. 

The popularity of garden buildings has grown considerably over the past year. From gyms, to home offices and children’s playrooms, the versatility of a 

garden room has seen them pop up around homes across the country. 

With a wide array of garden buildings available, it can be difficult to decide which garden room is best suited to your portfolio. However, the Eurocell 

Kyube range comes with many different benefits for both the consumer and the installer, making it a great choice. 

The following considerations are key when installing the Kyube: 

1 2 3 

Preparation 

First, ensure you’ve taken into consideration the health and safety aspects. Check if planning permission is required and check building regulations. 

The concrete base 

Confirm the garden building’s position prior to the installation, and ensure that there is good access all around. Make sure the concrete base is level and 

measured correctly. 

The flooring frame & insulation 

Ensuring the base of the garden building is level and secure is very important. Insulation is required as well as a green polythene vapour membrane, which 

needs to be stretched across the entire floor and secured around the perimeter. 

The walls and the roof frames 

The walls need to be carefully fitted into position with flush joins and bolted securely together. 

The roof frame needs to be fitted with overhang on the front, rear and each side. Offset the beam join with any joins in the roofing section for strength, and 

secure the roof down with L-brackets. 

Pack the roof with Rockwool insulation and fit an OSB across the entire roof. Sand down when fitted to remove any imperfections and apply foil tape to the 

perimeter of the roof frames to reduce water exposure. 

4 5 6 


7 

A kerb trim will also need to be fitted 

around the front edge and down two 

sides, along with a gutter trim along the 

back edge. Clip the corner and join the 

trims into place. 

The front step 

Position the step frame in place, fasten to the garden room and to the concrete base. 

The step needs to be edged with cladding and the decking panels, and it will also need to be 

framed and edged. 

The external walls 

Insulate the external walls, packing all voids. A PIR will need to be fitted around the perimeter 

walling with door and window spaces cut around. 

The building will be wrapped in Tyvek wrap and wrapped into the holes of the windows and doors. 

Timber battens need to be fitted on the outside of the building, ensuring they’re on every corner 

and edge of any apertures. 

Fitting the doors and windows 

Fit the chosen doors and windows into place. Ensure they’re fitted correctly and use expandable 

foam to close any gaps. 

The external cladding & guttering 

When fitting the external cladding you will really start to see the garden building come together. 

Check each cladding panel is level as you fit each row. Bond a final strip of the board to the top to 

hide fittings and finish the cladding. 

Fit the window and door trims to create the finished exterior look. 

Finally, the guttering will need to be fitted, to help with the drainage of water. Fit the gutter at either 

end of the garden room and ensure it sits flush with the bottom edge of the roof. 

9 

8 

Contact Eurocell: 

03301 731 847 

www.eurocell.co.uk 

@eurocellplc 



Article Roofline & Cladding 

CUSTOMERS AT THE HEART 

Colin St John, commercial director at roofline and cladding manufacturer, Freefoam, talks 

to Total Installer about economic recovery in the wake of Covid, the benefits of a customercentric 

approach and why honesty’s the best policy when it comes to lengthened lead times. 

TI: Can you tell us a bit about Freefoam, the 

company’s offering and the types of projects 

your products are used on? 

CS: Freefoam is an independent manufacturer of 

PVC-UE roofline and PVC-U rainwater and external 

cladding. We also supply interior panelling systems 

for bathrooms and wet rooms. We sell exclusively 

through a national network of independent stockists 

and merchants for the home improvement, housing 

repair maintenance and improvement (RMI) and 

new-build housing markets. 

TI: How are the various sectors that you’re 

involved with currently performing? 

CS: It’s hard to take stock of the past 12 months 

but despite all the disruption of Covid-19, the 

sectors we operate in are doing very well. The 

housing market quickly bounced back and both 

new-build and RMI are doing very well. 

TI: A number of surveys and forecasts are 

pointing to positive workloads for those 

operating in the home improvement and RMI 

sectors – is that what you’re experiencing? 

CS: Most definitely. While Covid-19 has had a 

“We’ve seen a massive demand 

for cladding – either for garden 

offices and studios or as an 

easy, low-maintenance way of 

transforming homes” 

devastating financial impact on entire industries 

and countless individuals, those with job security 

and savings may have actually found they’re 

better off. The last report I read said consumers 

had amassed £100bn in savings by the end 

of 2020. That’s a huge amount, and they will 

have saved even more when we come out of 

lockdown in the summer. The Bank of England is 

forecasting they’ll have £250bn. We haven’t been 

able to spend money on holidays or meals out, so 

people are spending on improving their homes to 

make them more comfortable and convenient, or 

adding much needed living and working space. 

Many of our installer customers say they’ve 

never been busier and there’s no sign of demand 

slowing down. We’ve seen a massive demand for 

cladding – either for garden offices and studios or 

as an easy, low-maintenance way of transforming 

homes. Last year our top stockists had sold an 

average 38% more cladding than in 2018, and 

we expect this trend to continue. 

TI: Have lead times been affected? And how 

are you working to ensure installers are 

delivering on their promises to customers? 

CS: Lead times for materials such as timber, 

concrete roof tiles, insulation for example have 

been stretched greatly at times. When the world 

shut down last March, no-one knew when or 

how we would reopen. We were very lucky in this 

industry that demand quickly recovered but it 

inevitably impacted on lead times. I’ve found the 

best approach is to be honest with customers, 

do our best to deliver products when they need 

them, and keep open lines of communication. 

We’d encourage installers to do the same with 

their customers. 

TI: Following one of the most testing periods 

for construction, with the Grenfell tragedy/ 

Hackitt Inquiry, Brexit and Covid-19, is there 

anything you’ve learned that you’ll take with 

you going forward? 

CS: Last year was a huge learning experience, 

probably the biggest of my career to date. I’m 

incredibly proud of the Freefoam team, including our 

customers, and our ability to pull together and adapt 

Continued on page 66 


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Roofline & Cladding 

Continued from page 64 

to ever-changing circumstances. We’ve always 

placed customers at the centre of the business, 

and I’d say the events of 2020 have taught me 

this approach is critical for long-term success. 

TI: What are the key benefits of Freefoam’s 

Registered Installer Scheme? 

CS: We set up Freefoam’s Registered Installer 

Scheme years ago to help installers gain a 

competitive edge and win more business. Since 

then it’s become more and more popular with 

installers because our marketing support helps 

them build their brand in their local area. We also 

provide quality leads for them through our two 

consumer-facing websites: www.myfascia.co.uk 

and www.mycladding.com. Perhaps one of the 

biggest benefits installers get through the scheme 

is the Extended Lifetime Guarantee, which 

extends the 20-year guarantee on white roofline 

to 50 years, to give our registered installers an 

extra boost. If the homeowner moves home the 

guarantee can be transferred to the new owners. 

Homeowners say it’s a great incentive to buy 

Freefoam and it gives them extra peace of mind. 

Registered Installers have always loved it. 

TI: How have the roles of manufacturer and 

supplier developed over the years, and how 

have installers’ requirements changed? 

CS: From Freefoam’s perspective, success comes 

from helping customers grow. Successful suppliers 

need to offer more than just products, they need 

to create mutual partnerships with customers. 

It’s also very true that the way installers 

promote their business has evolved. Being able 

to promote your brand online and on social 

media is essential. It can be hard to know where 

to start, so we’ve just launched new social 

media guidelines to help installers. We’ve also 

developed a range of short, easy-to-follow videos 

to show installers exactly what to do. 

TI: The public are more knowledgeable about 

products and materials nowadays – has this 

put pressure on installers? 

CS: I agree, homeowners are much more 

knowledgeable, and we see it as a positive thing 

for installers. It’s so much easier to explain 

product features and benefits if consumers 

have a good, basic understanding. The days of 

the typical ‘hard sell’ are gone and the most 

successful installers are those who communicate 

clearly and honestly with their customers. 

TI: We often hear of rogue tradespeople, but 

sometimes customers can be too demanding, 

rude and unreasonable. What would your 

advice be to installers who come across 

customers like this? 

CS: Earlier on in my career, I joined Laing Homes 

as a customer care officer. We were known as 

Care Bears, and to be honest I quite liked that. 

We were there to ease customers into their 

new homes and make the transition as easy 

as possible. The job gave me an invaluable 

grounding in customer service and taught me that 

in moments of angst, people can lose a sense 

of reality. As my career progressed I learned 

customer service boils down to delivering what 

has been promised. My advice to installers would 

be to keep this in mind at all times. 

TI: What are some of the most common 

mistakes that contractors / installers make 

when it comes to installing cladding? 

CS: It’s easy to think you can have a go, but 

we’d strongly recommend referring to the 

manufacturer’s guide and getting advice from your 

supplier if you’re unsure. Incorrect fixing centres 

and lack of ventilation are the cause of most 

installation problems, so we have a dedicated FAQ 

page on cladding (www.freefoam.com/professional/ 

technical-faqs) and our technical advisors are 

always happy to help with any queries. 

TI: Can you tell us about some of the projects 

that your products have been utilised on? 

CS: We’ve seen some fantastic transformations 

with cladding. For example, Freefoam Fortex 

weatherboard cladding in Misty Grey was used 

to enhance the front elevation of a detached 

property in Cheshire (pictured on previous page). 

The cladding was used in conjunction with a 

render finish to create a smart contemporary New 

England look. Another beautiful makeover came in 

a renovation of a three storey house in Falmouth, 

(pictured above) where our Fortex Double 

Shiplap cladding in Colonial Blue replaced tired, 

discoloured pebble dash to transform the property 

and give it a coastal feel. 

TI: After a challenging period for construction 

and the public – are there reasons to be 

positive moving forward in 2021 and beyond? 

CS: No-one can predict the future but, as the 

latest Consumer Confidence data from GfK 

shows, consumer confidence is returning and 

the wider construction industry will continue to 

recover. We’re focused on putting the customer 

at the heart of Freefoam and giving them the 

products, service and support to do well. 

Contact Freefoam: 

0800 00 29903 

freefoam.com/professional 

@freefoam 


Expert Witness Service 

When you need expert backup 

for a fenestration dispute. 

When a dispute between an installation company and a 

homeowner cannot be settled, specialist expert advice 

and reporting can be the best way forward. 

Our RICS accredited experts can help. We can act as 

a single joint expert or as a party appointed expert 

and produce a high quality report in line with the Civil 

Procedure Rules for expert witnesses. 

• Domestic window and door installations 

• Building regulation compliance inspections 

• British Standard 8213-4 

• Specification disputes 

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RISA are specialists in domestic window installations. As part of the Glass and 

Glazing Federation Group, we are able to call upon the resources and expertise 

of the entire GGF Group for the benefit of our clients. 

risaltd.co.uk/expertwitness

Updates 

WINNING TRANSFORMATION FROM PENRYN PLASTICS 

Penryn Plastics was named as a recent winner of Freefoam’s monthly transformation competition. 

Using Fortex Double Shiplap cladding in Colonial Blue, Penryn Plastics transformed a three storey 

detached property in Falmouth (pictured right), fitting cladding around the upper storey of the 

pebble-dashed property over a two-week period. 

Alex Ottaway, from Penryn Plastics, said: “We’ve worked with the Fortex range on lot of properties. 

We find it easy to fit, but pebble dash can be trickier than smooth render as it is more uneven. We had 

to spend extra time adjusting the battens to make sure they ran flush with each other over the uneven 

surface. Once complete, we simply fitted the cladding to the battens. It’s important to create an air gap 

behind the cladding to stop it over heating, especially here in Cornwall where we get more sun, but the 

Freefoam range comes with a starter trim with built-in ventilation which makes it very straightforward.” 

www.freefoam.com 

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

LOFTY AMBITIONS: DAKEA PRESENTS LATEST GUIDE 

Roof window manufacturer Dakea’s latest Trade Matters factsheet is available to download on the 

company’s website, with a focus on the use of roof windows in loft conversions. 

The monthly Trade Matters campaign is designed to offer installers and homebuilders expert advice to help 

them grow and improve their business. 

The latest factsheet is a guide to helping installers advise clients on loft conversions, providing ‘all the facts 

around roof windows in loft conversions that installers should know’. The factsheet also includes information on 

the benefits of a loft conversion; how to ensure homeowners get enough light into their loft conversion; achieving 

the right ventilation in a loft conversion; ensuring a new attic room is energy efficient; and why installers should 

choose Dakea roof windows. Download the factsheet at: dakea.co.uk/trade-matters/ 

HIGH PRAISE FOR CANOPY SYSTEM 

Swisspacer’s La Pensilina glass canopy system has received a stamp of approval from Staffordshirebased 

customer, Montane Projects, thanks to its high-quality design and performance. 

Montane Projects recently supplied and installed six La Pensilina canopies across six blocks of apartments at 

Blythe Valley Park, a Crest Nicholson housing development in Solihull. 

The canopies were required to be large enough to shelter people coming in and out of the buildings – and 

provide cover for the access panel and entrance. Montane Projects tried other canopy solutions but struggled to 

find a system that was strong enough to support the weight of the glass needed. La Pensilina proved to be the 

perfect solution. Swisspacer provided a quick and efficient service, while offering an option that not only met the 

size requirements of the project but was weatherproof and stayed fixed in position. en.swisspacer.com 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOCIAL SELLING 

Freefoam Building Products has released new guidelines to help roofline and cladding installers promote their business and services on 

social media. 

This includes information about a free online Facebook course, ideas on how to target an audience when advertising, tips on adding tracking code (so that 

Facebook shows adverts to the right people) and advice on scheduling (to ensure adverts 

Social Selling 

Toolkit 2021 

Top tips for running Facebook and 

Instagram social media adverts 

are shown when the chosen audience are most likely to see them). And that’s not all! 

Freefoam is also developing a series of short videos to show installers exactly what to do, 

which are available to view on YouTube and via Freefoam’s social media channels. 

The new guidance will be emailed directly to all Freefoam installers, included in 

newsletters and is also available to download from freefoam.com. www.freefoam.com 



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Xpert Advice 

SOMETIMES, IT REALLY IS THE TOOLS 

In his regular column for Total Installer, Karl Williamson, Window Ware business 

development manager, explains why general-purpose tools just won’t cut it for specialist 

glazing tasks – and why it pays to opt for the ‘Xpert’s’ choice. 

We’ve all heard the saying: ‘a bad workman 

blames his tools’. Admittedly, it’s far 

easier to attribute a poor job to the tools 

used rather than any lack of skill or experience. 

The right tools for the job: Xpert tools are specifically 

designed for window fabricators and installers 

But there are exceptions to every rule, and in 

some cases it really is the fault of the tools rather 

than the person wielding them. The specialist 

nature of the glazing industry means that door 

and window fitters and fabricators are more 

prone to falling foul of ill-suited, inappropriate kit. 

If you build or install windows, you need 

equipment that’s specifically designed for the 

job in hand. Without them, you’re not only doing 

your skills and expertise an injustice, but you 

might also have to work twice as hard to get the 

finish you want and, if the job isn’t up to scratch, 

you could harm your chances of winning further 

business in the future. 

The right tools, on the other hand, are more likely 

to suit your preferred way of working and help 

you tackle jobs with greater efficiency, to give you 

better results in less time and with less effort. 

Designed by experts for experts 

Over 10 years ago, me and a team of likeminded, 

experienced, professional window fitters 

realised that many of the tools used within the 

glazing industry were not actually intended for 

that purpose. 

Fed up with having to make do with generalpurpose 

equipment, we tasked ourselves with 

filling this gap in the market by creating a 

dedicated range of tools specifically designed for 

the fenestration industry. That’s when the Xpert 

brand was born. 

Xpert tools are designed with insider knowledge 

and hands-on experience of how they are really 

used by fabricators and fitters in the workplace, 

including the bad habits! The result is practical, 

proven kit preferred by trade professionals 

because it consistently delivers the desired 

results and eliminates many of the irritations 

associated with employing general-purpose tools. 

“If you build or install 

windows, you need 

equipment that’s 

specifically designed 

for the job in hand” 

Realise your best work 

It’s essential that fitters have tried-and-tested 

tools, hardware and equipment they can rely on 

to get the job done right, day in, day out. After 

all, a lot is riding on their ability to turn out a 

perfect installation every time. Security and 

mechanical performance, lifespan, aesthetics 

– and your company’s reputation can all be 

adversely affected by something as simple as 

inadequate apparatus. That’s why Xpert’s range 

of specialised tools can make all the difference. 

Fitters can really bring out the best in every 

installation with high quality hand tools including 

everything from chisel knives and moon knives 

to gasket shears, foam guns and mastic guns, as 

well as glass gauges, tape measures, glass lifters 

and glazing shovels. 

Finally, for those impeccable finishing touches, 

the best solvent and glass cleaners will remove 

any trace of dirt or residue to leave doors and 

windows spotless. 

Don’t wait 

Now that we’re a part of Window Ware’s 

growing product portfolio, customers can access 

Xpert’s quality glazing tools, consumables, and 

accessories faster and more conveniently than 

ever before, especially as there are now over 200 

stockists in the UK. So whatever your fenestration 

forte, there’s never been a better time to make 

sure you tool up for success with some specialist 

kit from the Xpert Tools range. You’ll never go back 

to general-purpose tools again! 

Contact Window Ware: 

01234 242 724 

www.windowware.co.uk 

@WindowWare / @XpertTools 


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. 

So why make it more complicated? Call Roseview today and ask 

about adding Incarnation secondary glazing to your range. 

phone: 01234 712657 | email: hello@roseview.co.uk | web: roseview.co.uk

Makita: Tool Talk 

ONE BATTERY FITS ALL 

Kevin Brannigan, marketing manager at Makita, looks at the benefits of investing 

in cordless tools that share a common battery platform, including greater efficiency, 

cost savings and cutting down on kit. 

Cordless tools have been growing in 

popularity for many years and advances in 

tool, motor and battery technology mean 

they are now suitable for the vast majority of 

tasks. One of the key reasons for this increased 

popularity, is the flexibility and efficiency that 

they offer compared with corded tools: There 

is no need to manage the routing of the power 

cables to the work area, operators are able to 

manoeuvre around tasks with ease and possible 

trip hazards are eliminated by removing the need 

for the cable. 

Most cordless tool manufacturers will use 

different batteries for different tools and may 

even offer many different battery voltages for 

each. This is because the battery, charger and 

tool are often designed to operate as a system 

together and will include features to maximise the 

life of the product and provide protection against 

damage. For example, Makita batteries and tools 

are designed to communicate with each other to 

provide overload and thermal protection as well 

as prevent over-discharging of the battery, which 

can be damaging and costly. 

By investing in a family of tools that share 

a common battery platform, work can be 

streamlined, especially on jobs where there is a 

need to swap between tools throughout the day, 

depending on the task. If every tool uses the 

same type of battery, then it is simply a matter of 

switching the battery to the required machine to 

carry out the next task. It also means that there is 

only one type of charger needed, minimising the 

amount of kit needed on-site. 

Investing in a battery platform that can be utilised 

across a number of tools within a wide portfolio 

of products also allows new tools to be purchased 

more cost effectively, by taking advantage of 

‘body-only’ tool options. 

Choosing the right battery platform is essential 

to maximise the variety of tools available. 

For example, Makita 18V LXT batteries can 

be used on more than 270 different products 

including rotary hammers, combi-drills, saws, 

impact drivers and impact wrenches, as well as 

worklights, radios, fans, cleaners – and even a 

coffee maker! 

Furthermore, when selecting tools for more 

demanding tasks, it is worth looking for products 

that feature a twin 18V system to supply the more 

powerful 36V models. In contrast to a tool that 

uses a specific 36V battery, these systems utilise 

two 18V batteries to deliver the 36V power. This 

offers users the simplicity of staying within the 

same battery system, while benefiting from the 

greater power and longer runtimes required for 

high-drain applications. 

Also, well-designed twin battery systems will 

allow batteries with different capacities and 

levels of charge to be used together. For example, 

a 6Ah battery and a 5Ah battery can be used to 

create 36 volts of power and the tool will simply 

stop when the lower capacity battery is empty. 

Simple adapter 

For demanding tasks where more powerful tools, 

such as 40V and above are required, it will be 

necessary to use a different battery platform, but 

there are advantages to remaining within the same 

family of products. For example, Makita 18V LXT 

batteries can be charged using the 40VMax XGT 

fast charger with the use of a simple adapter. 

Cordless tools offer a number of advantages 

including ease and flexibility of working and 

improved safety. With a wide range of products 

now available, there are very few tasks that 

cannot be completed cordlessly. However, using 

tools that require many different types of battery 

can present its own challenges. Investing in a 

single system will make things easier, especially 

where there are options for twin battery tools that 

deliver improved performance within the same 

battery platform. 

Contact Makita: 

01908 211678 

www.makitauk.com 

@MakitaUK 


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502 Worle Park Way, Weston-super-Mare, BS22 6WA

Updates 

For further vehicle, tool & workwear updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk 

'EVERYMAN VAN' BERLINGO IS SMALL BUT MIGHTY 

Citroen’s Berlingo has scooped ‘Best Small Van’ in this year’s Business Motoring 

Awards, while the VW Transporter and Mercedes Sprinter took the best medium and 

large categories respectively. 

Popular with fleets and the used buyer alike, the Berlingo was described as the ‘everyman 

van’ by the judges. Launched in 2018, the Berlingo has since become the vehicle of choice 

for thousands of van users, thanks to its award-winning features and excellent load 

capability and economy. It also features some of the lowest fuel consumption in its class. 

Celebrating the very best in design, service and practicality, other Business Motoring 

award-winners included Isuzu D-Max (Best Pick-Up), Citroen Dispatch (Best Electric Van), 

Mercedes-Benz (Van Service) and VW Commercial Vehicles (Best Used Van Programme). 

SUMMER SHIRTS WITH 'VERIFIABLE SUSTAINABILITY' 

Snickers Workwear has integrated improved 37.5 fabric technology and ‘verifiable sustainability’ into its 

t-shirts and polo-shirts, helping workers to stay cool, comfortable ‘and to do their bit for saving the planet’, 

this summer. 

The new AllroundWork styles are made from highly functional waffle-structured 37.5 fabric for optimal ventilation, 

cooling and moisture transport ‘to keep you feeling fresh for longer’. And, with the aim of ‘being at the forefront of 

sustainability in workwear’, the new lightweight polo and t-shirts are made of 100% recycled polyester with a biobased, 

anti-odour finish, smooth texture and ‘efficient moisture transport’. 

Snickers says the garments can also offer ‘street-smart’ body-mapping designs for an ‘amazing fit, outstanding 

functionality and long-lasting comfort – all day, every day’. www.snickersworkwear.co.uk 

DART HITS THE TARGET WITH CONSUMABLES RANGE 

Specialist window and door fastener supplier, Rapierstar, has boosted its range of complementary 

products for manufacturing and installation with the addition of DART power tool accessories. 

DART is a global brand offering ‘superior performance’ drill bits, screwdriver bits, saw blades and other 

daily-use consumables, plus equipment such as PPE gloves. Its ‘Your tool, but better’ ethos sums up the DART 

approach to product design and quality, ‘with a range that not only matches but often exceeds the performance 

of leading brands at a far lower cost’, according to DART. 

Rapierstar is partnering with DART as their exclusive supplier to the door and window sector, offering a wide 

range including DART HSS ground twist drill bits, SDS (slotted drive system) masonry drill bits and high-grade 

screwdriver bits.” www.rapierstar.com 

COOL AND COMFORTABLE SHORTS 

Snickers’ brand new men’s and women’s work shorts for the flexible working environment are designed for 

‘superior comfort and freedom of movement’. 

Combining four-way stretch fabric that promises to deliver working comfort all day with ‘street-smart’, slim-fit 

designs, Snickers says its work shorts are ‘great for grafting in the warmer months’. 

These lightweight garments feature a body-mapping design and are made from a self-ventilating stretch fabric with 

Cordura reinforcements for durability and all-round mobility ‘when you need it most’. 

The men’s FlexiWork lightweight work shorts come with flexible gusset seams, as well as easy-to-access holster 

pockets with zip compartments, an expandable stretch cargo pocket and a ruler pocket. The AllroundWork women’s 

multi-purpose slim-fit shorts have four-way stretch panels for consistent comfort. www.snickersworkwear.co.uk 



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ALUMINIUM SYSTEMS

May/June 2021

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