November/December 2021

Bi-Folds
'THE STAR OF THE SHOW'
Graham Howatson, director at HWL Trade Frames, explains why installers are queuing up
to get hold of the new Sheerline Prestige aluminium bi-fold.
“We only started manufacturing
Sheerline in September, but orders
have taken off like a rocket,” says
Graham Howatson, director, HWL Trade Frames.
“Firstly, it comes down to availability of raw
materials – Sheerline uses a new multi-chamber
system called Thermlock, so it’s not affected by
the shortage of polyamide thermal breaks that’s
been causing havoc with lead times on several
mainstream aluminium systems.
“Secondly, it’s due to its performance,” continues
Graham. “It can deliver U-values as low as 1.3 W/
m 2 k with double glazing and 0.9 W/m 2 k with triple,
which are well inside the requirements that have
been proposed for the latest changes to Part
L for replacement and new-build windows
and doors.
“And thirdly, it’s due to availability of
colour,” says Graham. “Prestige is available in
12 colours from stock, including agate grey and
that’s a major selling point for our customers,
because it creates a much greater opportunity to
mix and match with products in our PVC range.”
As a specialist supplier of heritage and flush
products, HWL offers a portfolio of premium PVC
systems. This is made up of the full Residence
Collection, including its non-glass bonded
Timberweld R9 window and the Residence
open-in door that is available exclusively from
HWL with a Timberweld joint.
HWL has also recently bolstered its line up with
a new 70mm flush casement from Kömmerling.
Built around a 6-chamber profile that helps to
deliver U-values as low as 1.2 (W/m 2 k), HWL is
the first manufacturer to offer the system with a
Timberweld finish.
“As with our PVC offering, all of the products
in the Prestige aluminium range are very
well designed,” says Graham. “It’s a very
clever system, one that represents significant
manufacturing efficiencies but also a
considerable amount of end-user appeal.
The Sheerline Prestige bi-fold on
display at HWL’s showroom
“Prestigie is
making a big impact...”
“One of the most exciting elements is the bi-fold,
and again that’s down to colour. In the current
climate, with demand so high, if you want bifolds
in anything other than grey or white, you’re
looking at lead times as long as three months
with some systems.
“But for our customers, who might have already
sold a house full of agate grey Residence
casements, they now have a fantastic opportunity
to add a big chunk of margin onto an installation
because they can upsell to a set of matching
bi-folds.”
Supplied with PAS24:2016 as standard, and meeting
Secured by Design accreditation when optioned with
laminate glass, Prestige is available in a choice of
two opening sash styles, both of which are available
in either a standard outframe or as a flush option.
These include ‘stepped’ – which mimics a traditional
steel window – and ‘Contemporary’ which offers
a more modern aesthetic.
Incorporating patented corner jointing technology
that is designed to eliminate mis-aligned frames,
installers can specify Prestige with a choice of
small, intermediate and large outerframes and
with 28-44mm glazing options.
“The Sheerline Prestige range is highly innovative,
it’s already making a big impact on the market,
but for us, the bi-fold is currently the star of the
show – which is why we have made it as easy as
possible for our customers to take advantage of
it,” says Graham.
Sheerline Prestige
at a glance...
• 12 colours available from stock
• U-Values as low as 1.3 W/m 2 k (double)
and 0.9 W/m 2 k (triple)
• PAS24:2016 as standard
• Secured by Design accreditation when
optioned with laminate glass
• 28-44mm glazing options
• Choice of sash styles: ‘stepped’ or
‘contemporary’
• Standard outerframe or flush option
• Patented corner jointed technology
“We’ve done this by referring all orders for the
Prestige bi-fold to our new Window Designer
Cloud customer portal, enabling installers to
quote and process orders remotely for all our
Prestige products as well as our PVC range.
“Installers can also take advantage of our Zandi portal,
to check on the status of orders and delivery times,
as well as download and sign off jobs digitally.”
Contact HWL Trade Frames:
0113 2449006
www.hwlwindows.co.uk
@HWLWindows
32 T I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST