December 2023

DECEMBER 2023 

Feeling 

you are at 

a career 

crossroads? 

McCormack Partners have been recruiting for 

 

 

 

never been a better time to pick up the phone 

 

Luke McCormack explains more on 

P40-41 

>>> • SECTOR PREDICTIONS • CONTRACTOR SUPPORT • CCPI • WORKWEAR & TOOLS • >>>

RAINWATER 

SYSTEM 

ENDCAP 

MITRE BOX 

BOX GUTTER 

RUNNING OUTLET 

110° OFFSET 

3M DOWNPIPE 

LARGE HOPPER 

PROJECT OFFSET 110° 

Y BRANCH 

MANUFACTURER OF ALUMINIUM RAINWATER SYSTEMS 

SPECIALISING IN BESPOKE PRODUCTION 

GUTTERS DOWNPIPES FASCIA SOFFIT COPING SILLS CLADDING 

WISHING ALL OUR CUSTOMERS A HAPPY 

CHRISTMAS AND JOYOUS NEW YEAR 

SECRET FIX BOX GUTTER COMING SOON !!! 

Seamless Aluminium International Ltd 

Unit 6b, Solihull Building Trade Centre 

Olton Wharf, Olton, West Midlands B92 7RN 

Info@seamlessaluminium.co.uk 

+44 (0)121 765 4355 

www.seamlessaluminium.co.uk

Editor’s Intro 

MATT DOWNS 

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR 

MATTDOWNS@MEDIA-NOW.CO.UK 

07963 330774 

Feeling 

you are at 

a career 

crossroads? 

McCormack Partners have been recruiting for 

 

 

 

never been a better time to pick up the phone 

 

Luke McCormack explains more on 

P40-41 

If the last few years in construction have taught us anything, it’s that 

trying make predictions and forecasts about what lies ahead is a pretty a 

futile endeavour... 

But despite this, as it’s the December issue and we’ve reached the end of 

another tricky year, I think it’s always a good opportunity to look back on some 

of the key events for the sector, and attempt to highlight some of the trends, 

challenges and opportunities for roofers in 2024. With this in mind, we’ve 

contacted a whole host of individuals from throughout the roofing and cladding 

sector supply chain for their thoughts on 2023, and what might be in store for 

2024. As you’d expect, October’s introduction of the Building Safety Act features 

heavily, and the whole focus on competence, increased responsibilities, 

improving safety standards and regulatory compliance that stems from this is a 

key theme in the responses you can read from page 14. Whilst the importance 

of training and the development of knowledge and skills to raise standards 

rightly get a big mention, contributors also highlight the opportunities in solar 

PV, which look set to continue to grow in 2024. 

Elsewhere in this issue, Ruth Scarrott of NFRC outlines the support available to 

contractors looking to recruit and retain staff (page 12); Steve Leech of LRWA 

explains how contractors can benefit from the association’s new initiatives 

(page 24); Daniel Weait of Marley discusses the Code for Construction Product 

Information and explains why roofers really need to take note (page 30); we put 

the questions on all things fixings to Brian Mack of EJOT UK (page 42); and Mike 

Wyles of Siderise Insulation explains why inspecting and recording passive fire 

protection installations is so important on page 48, plus much more! 

Enjoy the issue, and we’d like to wish all our readers and contributors a Happy 

Christmas and prosperous New Year! 

Matt 

Cover courtesy of McCormack Partners. Head to page 40 for an update 

from Luke McCormack. www.mccormack-partners.com 

FOLLOW US: TOTAL CONTRACTOR MAGAZINE 

SIGN UP FOR YOUR E-NEWSLETTER AT 

WWW.TOTAL-CONTRACTOR.CO.UK 

Advertising: 

Publishing Director: Andy Dunn 

DD: 01892 732 047 

Mob: 07963 330777 

Email: andydunn@media-now.co.uk 

Registered office: 1 Forstal Road, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7AU 

Editorial Director Matt Downs 

DD: 01892 732 047 

Mob: 07963 330774 

Email: mattdowns@media-now.co.uk 

The content of Total Contractor magazine (and website) does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or publishers and are 

the views of its contributors and advertisers. The digital edition may include hyperlinks to third-party content, advertising, or 

websites, provided for the sake of convenience and interest. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from 

information in this publication and do not endorse any advertising or products available from external sources. No part of this 

publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers. All rights reserved. 

Supported by: 

24 

With so much change and innovation 

happening in construction, the LRWA has recently 

launched regional ‘contractor days.’ 

Find out more on page 24

Contents 

3 KEY FEATURES 

30 

14 WHAT’S IN STORE 

FOR 2024? 

We asked individuals from throughout the 

roofing and cladding sector supply chain to 

look back on the key themes from 2023, and to 

provide their thoughts on what to be aware of in 

2024... 

30 BUILDING PRODUCT 

TRUST & CERTAINTY 

Daniel Weait of Marley discusses the Code for 

Construction Product Information (CCPI) and 

why roofers really need to take notice of the CCPI 

48 THE RECORDS SHOW... 

Mike Wyles of Siderise Insulation discusses the 

importance of inspecting and recording your 

passive fire protection installations 

FURTHER READING 

24 DRIVING GROWTH 

Steve Leech of the LRWA looks at some of the 

association’s latest initiatives to support contractors 

26 ROLLBACK RETENTIONS 

Tony Lawther of BriggsAmasco makes the case for 

abolishing the outdated retention process 

32 A CENTURY & STILL GROWING 

Stewart Britton of BMI UK & Ireland looks back on a 

century of manufacturing in Manchester for Icopal 

34 SOLAR PV: TACKLING DEBRIS 

James Robinson of Samac Fixings looks at a solution to 

help prevent dirt and debris gathering under solar panels 

54 

36 INVESTING & INNOVATING 

Andrew Hayward of Russell Roof Tiles looks back on a year 

of big investment in a tricky period for the sector 

50 THE RIGHT NUMBERS 

Sunny Lotay of PermaRoof Commercial explains what 

contractors really need to know about U-values 

54 PLAYING FAST WITH FASHION 

What has ‘fast fashion’ got to do with your workwear 

choices? Peter Dumigan of Snickers Workwear explains all 

4 TC DECEMBER 2023

REGULARS 

12 NFRC ROOFING TALK 

Ruth Scarrott explains that the support is there to 

help contractors make a success of the 

recruitment process 

42 TOTAL TALK: BRIAN MACK 

We put the questions to Brian Mack of EJOT UK, 

discussing his career, the colorfast range of 

fixings, the importance of R&D and innovation in 

fastening solutions, and a whole lot more... 

46 KNAUF INSULATION 

TECH TALK 

Bradley Hirst outlines his top three tips for 

maximising space and storing insulation... 

49 QI BY QI 

As the experts at Quantum Insulation reach their 

final column, the team look back at some of the 

key events of the past couple of years 

INDUSTRY NEWS 

06 CHAMPION CROWNED! 

The SkillBuild National Finals took place in late November; 

find out who took home the Roof Slating & Tiling trophy! 

08 IOR & CIOB TAKE TO THE ROAD 

CEOs Kay Rose and Caroline Gumble have been discussing 

the benefits of the potential integration of IoR into CIOB 

SECTIONS: 

TOTAL 

ROOFING 

24 

TOTAL 

CLADDING 

42 

TOTAL 

INSULATION 

46 

10 

MCS (the Microgeneration 

Certification Scheme), the 

standards organisation for 

small-scale renewable 

energy and heat, has 

announced it has 

surpassed 4,000 MCS 

certified contractors. 

VEHICLES, TOOLS 

& WORKWEAR 

54 

DECEMBER 2023 TC 5

Industry News 

NFRC VQ ASSESSMENT 

SERVICE LAUNCHED 

NFRC has announced it has launched a new 

assessment service for a range of roofing 

and cladding NVQs at Levels 2, 3 and 4. 

It says delivery of VQs through the NFRC 

Assessment Service is based on the needs of 

the individual operative, and assessment can 

be done mostly on-site rather than all taking 

place at a college or exam centre. 

NFRC says on-site assessment means that 

the VQ assessor visits learners in the 

workplace, completing live assessments with 

the team, and this keeps written work to a 

minimum, and includes one-on-one 

professional discussions alongside witness 

testimonies from the operative’s site 

manager or colleagues. 

NFRC’s Careers Service says it can then 

support businesses to understand and access 

available CITB funding, to make assessment as 

cost neutral as possible, and the association 

points out businesses may be eligible to do this 

via CITB’s Skills and Training Fund. 

Firms can visit the NFRC website to find out 

if the NFRC Assessment Service meets their 

experienced worker assessment needs and 

how to get started. If this service isn’t the 

right fit, the NFRC Careers Service says it can 

help contractors find the right provider. 

Ruth Scarrott, NFRC’s Head of Careers, 

explained: “We are delighted to be launching 

this service in order to further support the 

roofing industry to upskill its experienced 

workers. Many experienced workers are now 

looking to gain a qualification because of the 

upcoming withdrawal of ‘Grandfather Rights’ 

as a way of obtaining a CSCS card, but even if 

this isn’t something your particular workforce 

needs, your people are worth investing in, and 

gaining proof of competency can be an 

immense source of pride and confidence.” 

www.nfrc.co.uk/careers/ 

More news, updates and interviews at www.total-contractor.co.uk 

SKILLBUILD ROOF SLATING AND TILING 

CHAMPION CROWNED! 

The winners of the SkillBuild National Final 

2023 have been announced, after 78 

construction trainees went head-to-head over 

three days of competition. 

SkillBuild, also known as the construction ‘skills 

Olympics’, is delivered by the Construction 

Industry Training Board (CITB) and showcases 

some of the brightest talent in construction. The 

prestigious competition brings together highly 

skilled learners and apprentices to battle it out to 

be crowned winner of their chosen trade. 

Following the Regional Qualifiers, which were held 

at various colleges across the UK earlier this year, 

the National Final took place at the Marshall 

Arena in Milton Keynes on 21st–23rd November. 

The event attracted around 1,000 visitors, 

exhibiting the variety of skills and career 

opportunities available within the industry. 

Across the three days competitors were tasked 

with constructing a project designed by an expert 

panel of judges, within an 18-hour timeframe. 

CITB says the project tests the individual’s 

knowledge and skills, as well as their ability to 

work under pressure, ensuring they adhere to 

health and safety protocols. 

The Roof Slating and Tiling competition was won 

by Jacob Blight of South Devon College, with 

Hamish Morgan of Edinburgh College taking 

Jacob Blight of South Devon College with his SkillBuild trophies 

second place and Aeron Murray of Leeds College 

of Building finishing third. 

Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive, said: “I always 

look forward to the SkillBuild events and this 

year’s final at the Marshall Arena has, once 

again, been a brilliant success! It’s fantastic to 

meet all the talented individuals and hear about 

their career aspirations, and I’m delighted we 

were able to welcome so many members of the 

public this year, too. 

“At a time when the industry is going through a 

skills shortage, it’s vital that we support this next 

generation of talent and encourage them to 

pursue their passions. SkillBuild has the potential 

to make a huge difference here, transforming an 

interest or a hobby into a full-time career, and I’d 

like to thank everyone involved in making this 

year’s competition possible. Finally, 

congratulations to all the winners and everyone 

who competed, you should all be incredibly proud 

of yourselves.” 

3 winners centre, l-r: Hamish Morgan, Edinburgh College 

(2nd place); Jacob Blight, South Devon College (1st place); 

Aeron Murray, Leeds College of Building (3rd place). 


WestWood Liquid Technologies Limited 

31 Morris Road, Nuffi eld Industrial Estate, 

Poole, Dorset BH17 0GG 

Phone: +44 800 808 5480 

Liquid Applied Waterproofi ng Systems 

Car Parks • Flat Roofs • Metal Roofs • Gutters • Roof Terraces Balconies

Industry News 


IOR AND CIOB ROADSHOW SHEDS FURTHER 

LIGHT ON POTENTIAL INTEGRATION 

QUICKGUIDES 

SUPPORT FROM 

THE ROOFLIGHT 

ASSOCIATION 

As the UK’s trade association representing 

the rooflight industry, the Rooflight 

Association publishes freely available 

guidance for specifiers on its website. 

With this in mind, details of regulatory 

requirements covering rooflights and roof 

windows in respect of the conservation of heat 

& power have now been assimilated into four 

new ‘Quickguides’, each covering the different 

recently introduced requirements of the four 

devolved nations of the UK. 

Rooflight Association Quickguides are 

designed to provide specifiers with the salient 

facts, in a series of brief and easily digested 

documents. 

Jeremy Dunn, Rooflight Association Director 

and Technical Committee representative, 

said:“These changes are another step in 

improving the thermal efficiency of buildings 

working towards the future homes standard 

and achieving net zero.” 

The new regulations were introduced at 

varying dates across the nations, with the 

latest being Approved Document L 2022 for 

Wales, Volume 2: Buildings other than 

Dwellings, which came into force earlier this 

year. 

The four new Quickguides 09EN, 09SCO, 09NI 

and 09WA, can all be downloaded free of 

charge from: 

www.rooflightassociation.org 

A week-long roadshow of Institute of 

Roofing (IoR) events to discuss the 

potential integration into the 

Chartered Institute of Building 

(CIOB) has been hailed a success 

by those involved. 

Hosted by Kay Rose (FIoR), CEO of the IoR, and 

Caroline Gumble, CEO of the CIOB, the five-day 

roadshow, which took place between Monday 30 

October 2023 and Friday 3 November 2023, saw IoR 

members gather in London, the midlands, Scotland 

and the North West. 

The organisers say it gave IoR members the chance 

to discuss what the integration into CIOB would 

mean for them, enabled them to find out more on 

the proposals and learn about the CIOB and what it 

would offer. 

Commenting on the success of the events, Kay Rose 

(FIoR), CEO of the IoR, said: “We’d like to thank 

everyone who attended these important meetings, 

which gave us an opportunity to answer some key 

questions. I’d also like to personally thank Caroline 

Gumble for her unwavering support and for making 

the week enjoyable and successful. 

“The feedback from all of our members was 

generally positive, as they can see the benefits of 

joining a chartered, global organisation. The CIOB 

can offer our members great opportunities to 

network, develop knowledge and qualifications, 

increase their wider reach within the construction 

industry and achieve professional recognition within 

roofing and beyond.” 

Kay continued: “The IoR saw the need to change, to 

provide our members with a clear progression of 

opportunities in the future. Being part of the CIOB 

can offer positive growth, which will be a huge 

benefit for our members.” 

Kay also said the integration would not be “watering 

down” the qualifications, experience and knowledge 

already achieved by IoR members. 

Left to Right - Caroline Gumble, CEO of the CIOB 

and Kay Rose (FIoR) CEO of the IoR, travelled 

around the UK to discuss the benefits of a 

potential integration of IoR into the CIOB. 

She added: “This will not wipe clean 

the years of effort and dedication our 

members have already put into their 

profession. It will be enhancing this and opening 

doors to a wider network of contacts, more 

opportunities, professional training, support and 

guidance, which we believe can only be a positive 

move for us. 

“We encourage our members to take this 

opportunity with both hands and demonstrate your 

professionalism within a bigger organisation such as 

the CIOB, where we can really make our mark within 

roofing.” 

Caroline Gumble, CEO of the CIOB, added: “The 

week was hugely beneficial. We have been talking 

about our shared mission to improve the built 

environment for many months, and it was useful to 

hear the thoughts of current IoR members about the 

plans, to get their perspectives and insights, and 

explain how the integration might work for them. 

“CIOB has the broadest membership base of any 

professional body in the built environment sector 

with more than 47,000 members worldwide in a 

number of sectors, and we want to involve the IoR 

as experts in roofing and strengthen our community 

of modern professionals. The integration is an open 

conversation between us and the IoR, and we hope 

that, subject to approval by our respective boards, it 

will be a smooth process to complete next year.” 

Further discussions about the IoR and CIOB 

integration continue, and are expected to conclude 

in 2024. The organisations say a number of virtual 

Q&A sessions will take place early next year for IoR 

members to discuss the potential integration, as 

well as engagement opportunities for CIOB 

members. For more information about these, you 

can contact Kay Rose (FIoR), CEO of the IoR, at 

KayRose@instituteofroofing.org. 


STILL 

THE 

MARKET 

LEADER 

PRICE 

DROP 

Multi-award winning aluminium 

roof lantern 

70,000+ installs 

National brand exhibitions 

Sales lead generation for Trade customers 

Fast KwikQuote service 

2.5m x 1.5m lantern, when ordered 

with glass, delivered from only 

£ 1292* 

+VAT 

* Price based on a standard range anthracite grey on white, 2.5m x 1.5m roof lantern ordered with glass. Delivery restrictions apply. 

madefortrade.co 

sales@madefortrade.co 

01642 610799

Industry News 

BIG BENEFITS FOR 

BURTON IRVINE 

BRANCH 

Burton Roofing Merchants has relocated and 

invested in a more extensive Irvine branch to 

enhance its product range and service 

offering in Ayrshire and the wider East 

Scotland. 

The new branch, which also 

carries the latest energy-efficient 

green technologies to help reduce its 

carbon footprint, sees over £200,000 invested 

to more than quadruple capacity from 18,400 

sq. ft. to 80,358 sq. ft. compared to the 

previous branch. 

The additional space means more product 

lines will be stocked to facilitate increased 

demand, particularly for solar and flat roof 

products, and it is the largest branch that the 

company has opened this year. 

The new Burton Roofing Merchants branch on 

Auchengate Business Park replaces the 

former Rinus branch, which Burton Roofing 

Merchants acquired in 2021 and was located 

at Mackintosh Place. The company aims for 

the expansion to lead to additional jobs within 

the year. 

Jon Smith, Operations Director at Burton 

Roofing, commented on the investment: “As a 

business, we have a purpose centred around 

helping customers enhance their businesses. 

The enlarged branch will help us deliver our 

promise by giving access to innovative roofing 

products combined with our Irvine team’s 

expert and friendly service.” 


CERTIFIED CONTRACTOR GROWTH AT MCS 

MCS (the Microgeneration Certification years of the scheme combined. 

Scheme), the standards organisation for 

At the end of 2022, MCS says it had fewer than 

small-scale renewable energy and heat, has 

2,000 solar PV contractors – whereas today, they 

announced it has surpassed 4,000 MCS 

have over 3,200. This growth mirrors the rapid 

certified contractors. 

rise in certified solar PV installations across the 

The organisation says the growth in the number UK and the growing demand amongst 

of certified companies installing low-carbon homeowners to generate their own home-grown 

technology highlights the growth in consumer electricity, reducing energy bills, claiming energy 

confidence in home-grown energy across the UK, independence, and decreasing their carbon 

and reflects the growing demand for MCS 

footprint. 

certified contractors across the nation. 

The scheme has also recorded over 200,000 

In October, MCS certified its 4,000th contractor, certified installations of small-scale technologies 

as the number of homeowners looking for 

in 2023. 

certified installers to retrofit their homes with 

Ian Rippin, MCS CEO, explained: “MCS is 

solar panels, heat pumps and other renewable 

extremely proud to have certified more than 4,000 

technologies continued to grow. MCS says its 

contractors. It is extremely encouraging to see our 

certification is a mark of quality providing 

certified contractor base continuing to grow at 

assurance to consumers, and being MCS certified 

pace in support of the ever-growing demand for 

demonstrates that a contractor installs renewable 

small-scale renewable technologies. 

energy and heating systems to industry-expected 

levels of quality every time. 

“Our mission is to give people confidence in 

home-grown energy, and this enormous growth 

The organisation says 2023 has been a recordbreaking 

year for MCS so far as the scheme has 

in our contractor base shows that UK 

consumers have more and more confidence 

seen over 1,700 new contractors becoming 

every day.” 

certified in the last 11 months, a 70% growth in 

the contractor base since the end of 2022. In You can hear from the Installer community here - 

fact, MCS says more contractors have joined the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X03YHscheme 

in 2023 so far than in the previous six EV7E 

Branch Manager Jim Finnegan added: 

“Customers that have already been to the new 

branch have been impressed with the product 

range, and it will help cement our ambition to 

be a centre of excellence in new roofing 

technologies and products.” 

www.burtonroofing.co.uk 


UNROLL 

YOUR 

POTENTIAL 

Become accredited with 

ICB Waterproofing Ltd 

alwitra.co.uk

NFRC Roofing Talk 

ECO PROJECT: ACCESS SUPPORT 

FOR THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS 

Ruth Scarrott, Head of Careers at NFRC, tells readers that the support is there to help make 

a success of the recruitment process, as well as those crucial first months for new recruits… 

Making roofing and cladding 

a desirable and rewarding 

career is central to 

ensuring the industry can recruit and 

retain enough staff – that is, bringing 

people on board and then keeping 

them on for a significant period of 

time. 

NFRC now has an offering to help all 

roofing and cladding 

contractors meet this 

challenge. Via CITB 

funding, the ‘ECO’ 

Project enables us to 

guide employers in 

England through the 

entire recruitment process, 

from the first job advert until your new 

team member is six months in post. We are now 

also able to help employers of roofing apprentices 

in Scotland with the equivalent programme. 

To be eligible for us to provide this support, your 

new starter needs to be new to construction, or 

returning to the industry after some time away. 

So, what will this actually look like? 

Taking on someone new 

We can start by helping you plan your recruitment 

and interview process. This can include talking 

with you to help define what you’re looking for, 

and give pointers on the best way to advertise 

and find the right person. 

It may also be planning what’s best to ask in the 

interview, and then getting a contract of 

employment in place when you have found your 

new starter and they have accepted a job offer. 

We can also link you up with organisations that 

“This programme means that 

if there is a point in the 

hiring process where you are 

not sure what to do, you have 

help on hand” – Ruth Scarrott 

source candidates, like Jobcentres. Essentially, 

this programme means that if there is a point in 

the hiring process where you are not sure what to 

do, you have help on hand. 

The first few months 

The journey doesn’t end once someone has been 

employed. Your first day on site or in the office 

will have been scary, and you won’t have got 

everything right first time. 

Once you have secured a new starter, we can 

help you offer them one-on-one support, for 

example by giving you or other experienced 

colleagues some support to become great 

informal mentors for newcomers. 

The new starter can access pastoral support 

through this programme, meaning that if they are 

feeling worried about starting work, what’s 

expected of them, or their ability in their new role, 

they can speak to someone outside the workplace 

and be guided in the right direction. 

Equally, if they are struggling with 

behaviour or are not recognising the 

standards they need to meet at work, 

that can be addressed. More broadly, 

if they have a training need, we can 

help you source that learning, for 

example finding a local site-readiness 

course. 

Preparing for progression 

It can be helpful to show a new starter 

what their trajectory will be once 

they’re in your business. We can 

assist you to draft an ongoing training 

plan for them: having a short 

document that points out how you 

plan to develop their skills and 

qualifications means that you can keep on track 

with making sure that they are maximising their 

potential, and your employee knows that your 

company is a place they will learn and progress, 

not see a dead end. 

This could be as simple as setting out that your 

employee will gain a specific qualification and 

complete particular short courses in a set period 

of time. 

Even if you have hired new people before and just 

want to know what you can do better with your 

next staff member, it’s worth a chat. If you’d like 

more information or to access this support, 

please get in touch with me directly at 

careers@nfrc.co.uk. 

Contact NFRC 

020 7638 7663 

www.nfrc.co.uk 

NFRC 


TAKE YOUR 

ROOFING BUSINESS 

TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH NFRC 

Technical advice, the industry quality stamp and fantastic 

profile-raising opportunities—for all roofing disciplines 

NFRC sets the highest 

standards for work across 

all roofing and cladding 

disciplines. But we’re much 

more than the industry’s quality 

assurance stamp. Membership 

of the trade association offers 

contractors and suppliers a 

range of powerful technical 

and commercial advantages. 

These include a profile on our website 

and directory listing, making your 

business easier for clients to find. Plus 

exclusive access to technical support and 

updates, an exclusive health and safety 

app, and advice on training provision. 

For suppliers, key benefits include 

numerous opportunities to engage with 

roofing contractors all over the country. 

And as the voice of the roofing sector, 

NFRC makes our members’ views 

heard where it matters most. We work 

with government, standards bodies 

and training providers to promote the 

interests of the industry, and of the 

construction market as a whole. 

2023 UK Roofing Awards 

Fully-supported Metal winner 

Roles Broderick Roofing Limited 

3 | Working Towards Zero Avoidable Waste in the Roofing Sector 

NFRC trade 

membership benefits 

WHAT BEING AN NFRC MEMBER MEANS FOR YOU 

3 | Working Towards Zero Avoidable Waste in the Roofing Sector 

NFRC supplier 

membership benefits 

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO OUR ROOFING 

CONTRACTOR MEMBERS 

Call 020 7638 7663 or visit 

nfrc.co.uk/TCbenefits to request our 

benefits brochure—and find out more 

about what NFRC membership can do 

for your business. 

Have you heard about NFRC’s NEW regional NVQ Assessment 

Service dedicated to roofing and cladding? 

This service offers the opportunity to get qualified, 

on-site in a real working environment. 

Like to find out more? 

Email careers@nfrc.co.uk

Viewpoints & Predictions 

A LOOK BACK AT 2023, PLUS 

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2024? 

If the last few years have shown anything for those operating in the roofing, cladding and 

wider construction industry, it’s that making predictions and forecasting is a thankless task 

and quite possibly a complete waste of time! But it’s still good to try and learn from the past 

and plan for the future, so we asked individuals from throughout the supply chain to give 

their views on the past year, and thoughts on what to look out for in 2024... 

“WE SEE GOOD GROWTH PROSPECTS FOR HIGH QUALITY 

RAINSCREEN CLADDING” 

Peter Johnson, Founder of Vivalda Group 

2023 saw its fair share of unexpected news 

in the construction sector. First, we saw 

sobering trading updates on consecutive 

days from two well-known FT250-listed 

building materials distributors, both admitting 

that sustained hikes in interest rates were 

having a negative impact on turnover and 

profits. 

Following this trend, we’ve witnessed just about 

every major housebuilder laying off staff and 

reducing the number of new builds for the 

foreseeable future. In another tell-tale sign of the 

sector’s woes, homes are taking longer to sell, with 

some developers even offering free fridges and 

washing machines to lure buyers – a phenomenon 

we thought had disappeared with the 1990s. 

The last year has also seen a lot of highly 

regarded, small to medium-sized contractors 

going out of business, victims of the insidious 

nature of fixed priced contracts in an inflationary 

environment, as well as retrospective cost 

reduction strategies from developers and 

housebuilders. With interest rates at 5.25%, the 

cold winds of sluggish construction activity 

appear to be with us for the next few months, 

although there are tentative signs rates may have 

now peaked; here’s hoping. 

Vivalda Group takes pride in its unswerving 

contribution to safe cladding, 

historically having been priced out of 

many large supply contracts after 

refusing to join a race to the bottom, the tragic 

result of which was Grenfell. The absolute 

necessity to avoid a similar tragedy means my 

company has cladding safety in its DNA. Safety is 

inbuilt into every component – fire barriers, 

substrate boards, fireproof insulation, aluminium 

fixing systems and, of course, fire-resistant 

cladding panels. If only others had given a similar 

priority pre-Grenfell. If only. 

On the upside, we take pride in our contribution to 

making life more tolerable for the thousands of 

families who live in the towers we’ve helped to 

remediate; not only that, we’re working flat out to 

supply the thousands of others where the cost is 

similarly borne by the Building Safety Fund. While 

it’s fair to say commencement of work in this 

regard has sometimes been slow due to planning, 

application complexities or insurance issues, this 

absolutely vital activity now accounts for a 

significant proportion of our turnover. And with 

buildings over 11m tall soon to be eligible under the 

new Medium-Rise Scheme, this should continue to 

keep us busy for several more years to come. 

Looking ahead to 2024, the final chapter of the 

Grenfell Tower Inquiry final report is widely 

expected to be published. 

In terms of economic pain, I think the high 

watermark of inflation is behind us; in fact we’re 

likely to see discounting as the market re-aligns 

itself. Even to this day my eyes water when I’m 

reminded of some façade brands increasing 

prices by as much as 45% in 2021/22 in an 

attempt to defray their raw material costs. 

However, they may need to row back by offering 

project rates – or run the risk of losing market 

share to comparable (my italics) products that 

are more competitively priced. It’s the iron law of 

economics: products price themselves into the 

market; products price themselves out. 

With Andy McEwan, our CEO now at the helm, 

2024 is shaping up to be a great year for Vivalda 

Group. With 11 branches UK-wide, unrivalled 

fabrication capabilities and a well-established 

team of highly skilled people, we continue to 

invest in the business. 

This year (2024) will see us launching our own, 

UK-manufactured solid aluminium cladding 

system, MetSkin, which will provide much needed 

additional capacity to the non-flammable 

cassette market. Recent times have not been 

easy for the construction sector but we’re 

optimistic about bucking the trend. In summary, 

we see good growth prospects for high quality 

rainscreen cladding. 

www.vivalda.co.uk 


“THE NEW COMPETENCE REQUIREMENTS COME INTO FORCE IN APRIL, 

SO ‘DOING NOTHING’ IS NOT AN OPTION” 

Carlton J Jones, Director MCRMA (Metal Cladding & Roofing Manufacturers Association) 

Over the past 12 months, the construction 

industry has taken important steps to adapt 

to the requirements of the 2022 Building 

Safety Act. 

Despite the current challenging economic 

backdrop, organisations including the MCRMA 

have remained focused on supporting businesses 

working at all points in the building envelope 

supply chain to understand, and respond to, the 

competence and compliance demands of the new 

building safety regime. 

One of the most important developments of the 

last 12 months is undoubtedly the publication of 

the white paper by the JCI (Joint Competence 

Initiative), ‘Achieving Competence in the Building 

Envelope Sector’. This was a breakthrough as it 

provides a benchmark standard relating to 

competencies for all Individuals working in, or 

for, specialist sub-contractors and 

consultants, as well as material and system 

manufacturers within the building envelope 

sector. 

Our role in the JCI has been to ensure the voices 

of businesses involved in metal cladding and 

roofing are heard so the new ways of working are 

feasible and achievable. And this has been one of 

the reasons why many of our members have 

derived greater value from their MCRMA 

membership in 2023. 

Looking ahead to 2024, it is likely that many more 

businesses in our sector will be investing time 

and resources in training and implementing new 

processes, if required, to align with the JCI 

framework and meet client expectations from a 

regulatory perspective. This 

investment will pay dividends 

because demonstrating competence at 

both an individual and company level will be key 

to winning contracts and delivering projects in 

future. 

In recent months we have already seen a huge 

increase in bookings for our 3-day training 

programme and individuals taking our online 

CPDs, and we expect the demand for specialist 

training to increase further over the next year. 

Remember, the new competence requirements 

come into force in April, so ‘doing nothing’ is not 

an option. Hence why there has never been a 

more important time to prioritise knowledge and 

skills development through training! 

www.mcrma.co.uk 

“WE’RE ALL TOO AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR REPLACEMENT CLADDING” 

John Park-Davies, Group Managing Director at Vertik-Al 

This time last year, even the most 

insightful individual would have 

struggled to predict how 2023 would 

unfold. We have seen multiple conflicts 

around the world, rampant inflation in the UK, 

material price volatility, and firms – both large 

and small – in distress. It’s safe to say that 

we’ve experienced turmoil across all areas – 

social, political and economic. 

My personal outlook has always been – ‘what 

doesn’t hurt you, makes you stronger’, and it’s a 

view that I bring to the business. I am pleased to 

say that we have grown stronger over this 

challenging year. 

I have made sure that during one of the most 

challenging times in my 37 year career, our 

business has maintained its exceptional standards 

and service. For example, we have continued to 

invest in industry leading accreditations 

such as Qualicoat and the GSB 

International Master Seal; standards we 

have upheld for almost 30 years. Our sister 

company, IKON Aluminium, also achieved the 

revised PAS 24 certification on its louvre doorsets. 

All too often we see businesses compromise on 

quality when things are difficult. This is not how we 

run a business. We want to support our customers, 

to help them thrive and emerge resilient. 

Our core business is powder coating architectural 

aluminium, this sees us dealing with global paint 

suppliers and serving many sectors of British 

industry. Our customers deal with both the domestic 

and commercial markets, so we coat everything 

from components through to bar length, often this is 

destined for prestigious building facades. 

While some larger commercial projects have stalled 

this year, we have a strong order book for 2024. 

Demand for coated aluminium products is high – its 

recyclability and lightweight properties makes it a 

material of choice for many specifiers and façade 

consultants. Plus, we’re all too aware of the 

potential for replacement cladding. 

The home improvement market has also proven to 

be more resilient than we first thought at the start of 

the year. While some homeowners are feeling the 

pinch there are others who are using savings and 

investing in their homes. This state of the housing 

market has triggered this ‘improve don’t move’ 

reaction. Rising consumer awareness and the 

growing popularity of aluminium fenestration 

products and clad extensions means this has, and 

continues to be, a fairly buoyant market for our 

customers, and in turn, us. We don’t see this 

changing in 2024. www.vertik-al.com 



“2023 HAS BEEN PIVOTAL IN TERMS OF INDUSTRY REGULATIONS, WITH THE 

TRAJECTORY CONTINUING INTO 2024” 

Michael Anaxagorou, Sales Director, Axter Ltd 

This year has revealed the pivotal role of 

technology in shaping the future of 

construction. 

Its increased utilisation has significantly 

enhanced survey efficiency and opened new 

avenues in specification. Notably, the impact is 

substantial in the realm of sustainability, with a 

heightened focus on net-zero goals and escalating 

energy costs prompting a drive toward enhancing 

the energy and thermal efficiency of buildings. This 

surge in interest has also led to increased 

exploration of energy generation possibilities. 

In the domain of Climate Map Technology, fieldbased 

and desktop tools are revolutionising the 

assessment of the impact of well-designed roofs, 

enabling digital modelling of existing structures 

against proposed alterations. Moreover, these tools 

facilitate showcasing the assets’ value beyond 

compliance, highlighting the potential for carbon 

reduction, long-term savings, and a more 

sustainable future. 

The year 2023 has been pivotal in terms of 

industry regulations, with the trajectory 

continuing into 2024. Notably, the Building 

Safety Act introduced the concept of 'duty 

holders', including clients, designers, and 

contractors, emphasizing the necessity for 

assessing competence and declining work that 

exceeds one's skills, knowledge, or experience. 

These regulations serve as a starting point for 

substantial change, with further developments 

expected, including updated rules on product 

standards. 

As a manufacturer and roofing design company, we 

advocate for voluntary schemes like the Code for 

Construction Product Information (CCPI) and 

Building a Safer Future. CCPI, emphasising building 

safety and higher standards in presenting 

construction product information, has validated our 

Wilotekt-Plus system as one of the first CCPIverified 

hot melt systems in the industry. 

Looking ahead to the next year, Biodiversity Net 

Gain (BNG) requirements and Sustainable Urban 

Drainage (SuDs) will transition to mandatory status 

for most new constructions. This shift highlights the 

crucial role of design, construction methods, and 

materials in project sustainability. There’s an 

emerging expectation not only to meet regulatory 

standards but also to exceed them. 

In 2024, upskilling the labour force emerges as a 

primary trend. Addressing the ongoing shortages, 

particularly in roofing, entails enhancing digital 

proficiency and driving modernisation through 

workforce development for both existing and 

incoming personnel. 

Amidst the influx of information, investing in CPD for 

teams becomes paramount. This investment 

ensures familiarity with new methodologies and 

approaches, thereby maintaining high standards 

and quality of work. Moreover, advancing digital 

skills across the industry is imperative to fully 

harness the potential of technologies like Building 

Information Modeling (BIM) and collaborative online 

platforms for building specification and design. 

www.axter.co.uk 

“WE’RE ANTICIPATING A PIVOTAL YEAR FOR COMPLIANCE” 

Joan Ferrer – UK & Ireland Commercial Director, Ravago Building Solutions UK 

The most recent CPA forecast has highlighted 

a global slowdown of construction output, 

driven predominantly by a sharp decline in 

residential housebuilding. We’re fortunate not 

to be directly impacted by this as a business, 

but it will be sure to cause knock-on effects if 

not urgently addressed. 

I’d like to see the Government continue to develop 

a range of funding schemes for first-time buyers 

across the next year, as this would revitalise the 

private construction sector to counteract 

stagnation in this respect. 

At Ravago Building Solutions UK, we’re expecting 

2024 to bring fierce competition when securing 

projects, largely from the perspective of product 

pricing. Cheap, uncertified materials 

from abroad significantly influence 

price expectations, catalysed by the highly 

competitive construction markets. Although 

infrastructure activity is currently stable, a 

slowdown in the number of active projects could 

further impact competition throughout the next 

year, especially considering looming delays to 

road works. 

Finally, we’re anticipating a pivotal year for 

compliance, especially with the roll-out of CCPI – 

of which we are enthusiastic proponents. It’s a 

positive step for rebuilding trust in the 

construction industry, and we are embracing the 

new measures to demonstrate that our technical 

materials and processes are robust. Netzero 

targets and a greater emphasis on 

sustainability measures are inevitable – not 

just for 2024, but for the foreseeable future. At 

Ravago Building Solutions UK, we’ve been taking 

excellent steps towards our own sustainability 

goals – including making use of new Cube20 

compactors to recycle fine excess XPS dust into 

pellets for producing new product, reducing waste 

to landfill. We subscribe to the three pillars of 

construction; quality, sustainability and 

compliance – it’s crucial that we continue to 

preserve those pillars to avoid undermining the 

progress and resilience we’ve displayed as a 

collective over the past few years. 

www.ravagobuildingsolutions.com 


Maximum reliability. Minimum fuss. 

Secure from Substrate to Skin 

A complete system of support 

W: fixfast.com / T: +44 1732 882387 / E: sales@fixfast.com


“THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT 2024 IS SET TO BRING GROWTH WITH A 

PREDICTED 12% INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS” 

Ken Lynes, Managing Director of Fixfast 

It’s fair to say that 2023 brought 

choppy waters for construction. 

Energy prices remain high, inflation 

has increased and there’s been an 18% 

reduction in construction projects. 

Despite this, Fixfast has not only weathered the 

storm but continued to grow. There are a number 

of factors that have contributed to this success. 

We’re known for our ‘Maximum Reliability, 

Minimum Fuss’ brand promise. For our contractor 

customers, this means we deliver the products 

they need when they need them. It’s a simple 

philosophy, but it’s why we consistently have the 

best customer satisfaction rates in the industry. 

We’ve also forged strong partnerships with the 

major OEM manufacturers and design fasteners 

for their systems at our UK manufacturing site. 

And we’re seeing the growth of the façade side of 

our business, thanks to the introduction of the 

Fixfast façade support system. 

Our teams have been busy delivering on our 

digital transformation. This has included 

the launch of our new website which is 

underpinned by technology that creates 

seamless integration with all our internal 

processes. It’s supported by a Product 

Information Management (PIM) system, which 

allows us to update all our technical, commercial 

and marketing information, related to each of our 

thousands of products at the touch of a button – 

wherever it’s held. So, whether it’s on our own 

systems or those of our partners, it’s always 

accurate and up to date. 

This is important because the Building Safety Act 

will bring greater accountability across the supply 

chain and increased scrutiny of product choice. It 

means specifiers need to be confident that the 

information they use is accurate and that the 

products they specify will perform as they are 

designed to. For this reason, Fixfast is also 

amongst the first in the UK to have achieved the 

Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) 

verification for our DrillFast, MatchFast and 

TapFast ranges. 

The good news is that 2024 is set to bring growth 

with a predicted 12% increase in construction 

projects. To help us meet customer demand, 

Fixfast will be moving to new, larger premises, 

which will allow us to further expand our UK 

manufacturing capability. The building itself is 

also much more environmentally friendly. It will 

be built using clean, inert and ACM free recycled 

aggregates and hardcore where practical, and 

features low-carbon technologies such as a VRF 

heat pump for heating and cooling, and solar 

panels to achieve an EPC A+ rating. 

The foundations we’ve laid in 2023 mean that we 

will be able to support our customers and OEM 

partners by providing the products they need to 

support the creation of better, safer buildings – 

backed up by the accurate information needed for 

specification. Not just in 2024, but for many 

years to come. 

www.fixfast.com 

“A FOCUS ON DEVELOPING SOFT SKILLS IS CRUCIAL” 

Kay Rose (FIoR), CEO of the Institute of Roofing 

As we reflect on the past year in roofing 

and construction, it’s evident that the 

industry is undergoing significant 

transformations. At the Institute of 

Roofing (IoR), our focus on soft skills training 

has become increasingly vital. 

The integration discussions with the Chartered 

Institute of Building (CIOB) underscore the 

industry’s recognition that professional skills 

extend beyond qualifications. The emphasis is now 

on holistic individual development, including 

crucial soft skills such as communication, 

presentation, organisation, time management, and 

professionalism. It’s not just about what you 

know, but how you apply that knowledge in a 

professional setting. 

Professionalism is a foundation into which 

wider skills feed into. Skills such as 

delivering on commitments, managing 

workloads effectively, and avoiding 

overcommitment to prevent disappointments. 

Addressing these basic requirements is essential 

for anyone in the industry, promoting reliability and 

trustworthiness not only as an individual, but as 

part of a wider organisation. 

The challenges of the past year, which include the 

continual preferences to virtual meetings, can 

often expose deficiencies in professional 

communication and behaviour. This highlights the 

importance of fostering a respectful and 

committed attitude within the industry. 

Looking ahead to 2024, I think a focus on 

developing soft skills is crucial for anyone entering 

the roofing profession – but particularly the 

younger generations. Handling crises, effective 

communication, and navigating difficult 

conversations are ‘skills for life’ that should be 

integral to education and training. While technical 

expertise is crucial, companies must also invest in 

cultivating well-rounded individuals. 

Having a positive attitude toward training is key to 

equipping the industry with the necessary skills for 

the future. As we look to the future, embracing a 

holistic approach to education and training will 

ensure a robust and competitive roofing industry. 

www.instituteofroofing.org 


“2023 HAS BEEN A YEAR OF REGULATORY CHANGE” 

Bradley Hirst, Technical Services Manager for Knauf Insulation 

2023 has been a year of regulatory 

change. Significant uplifts to Parts L 

(thermal performance) and B (fire 

safety), which both affect the specification 

of insulation, came into full force bringing in 

stricter standards for the design and 

construction of buildings in England and Wales. 

Similar updates have been made in Scotland 

and Ireland. 

Then there’s the Building Safety Act, which is 

placing greater accountability across the supply 

chain. As a result, we’re likely to see the 

specification of construction products for higher risk 

buildings undertaken much earlier in the design and 

build process. 

The key takeaways from these changes are that 

buildings must achieve much higher performance 

standards, the products and systems specified 

must be used (and any substitutions approved and 

signed off). And ultimately, the finished building 

must perform the way it’s designed to. 

So, what does this mean for insulation? Well, 

firstly we’re seeing greater thermal 

efficiency of the building fabric, which 

means clients are moving to lower lambda 

products and using much more insulation than 

before. For example, contractors are being asked by 

housebuilders to install loft insulation to depths of 

400mm or 500mm. They’re also increasing 

masonry cavity widths to 150mm with an 

equivalent depth of insulation to improve energy 

efficiency and provide greater flexibility – a move 

that’s only set to increase as we get closer to the 

introduction of the Future Homes Standard. 

The focus on fire safety we’ve seen over the last 

few years will also continue to be a priority in 

2024. So, my message is that the best way to 

minimise risk and ensure compliance is to use 

non-combustible materials such as Knauf 

Insulation rock and glass mineral wool for all 

projects, regardless of height or use. 

Added to that is the issue of real performance. 

The regulations have brought in much greater 

scrutiny of product choice and standards of 

workmanship. Where insulation is concerned, 

good installation can make or break real thermal, 

fire safety and acoustic performance – and that’s 

affected by the material used. 

It’s important contractors and installers choose a 

product that’s easy to install correctly. It can be 

difficult to get a good fit with materials such as rigid 

boards as they’re inflexible and cannot adapt to 

imperfections in the substrate. This introduces gaps 

that reduce performance. But it’s easy to get a good 

fit with mineral wool because it adapts to the 

substrate and knits together at the joints. 

Ultimately, by focusing on the real-world benefits 

of better thermal efficiency, enhanced fire safety, 

acoustic performance and materials that are easy 

to install correctly, your insulation is more likely to 

deliver the performance that’s needed in 2024 

and beyond. 

www.knaufinsulation.co.uk 

“BUSINESSES THAT EXCEL IN DELIVERING PRECISELY WHAT THE CUSTOMER 

WANTS WILL STAND APART FROM ANY BUSINESSES THAT DO NOT” 

James Chillman, UK Country Manager, Fergus 

At Fergus, 2023 saw even more roofing 

business owners opt for job 

management software – for good 

reason. It automates much of their work, 

removes paperwork and reduces inefficiency. 

In short, it gives them more time back. 

By automating a lot of business processes you can 

also look to take advantage of some of 2024’s 

biggest business trends, one of which includes 

adopting new techniques to improve customer 

experience. Those businesses that excel in 

delivering precisely what the customer wants, 

promptly and stress free, while efficiently resolving 

any issues, will stand apart from any businesses 

that do not. If you’re looking to develop top notch 

customer care, then job management software 

Fergus can help you quickly get ahead of the 

trend. It helps you to: 

Be speedy: with custom templates, you 

can quickly generate accurate quotes and 

invoices, sending them directly to clients via email 

or SMS. 

Be informative: set reminders and send automatic 

confirmations and updates to your clients, so every 

appointment runs smoothly and customers are 

always kept in the loop about any adjustments. 

Be ultra-reliable: thanks to smartphones and GPS, 

you can track your team members’ exact location 

and route, which means you can let clients know 

an ETA without disturbing a driver while they’re on 

the road. 

In October 2023 we launched Fergus Essentials so 

that businesses of any size can afford to adopt job 

management software. Designed specifically for 

sole traders or small teams in the trades industry, 

Fergus Essentials offers a range of features that 

help streamline day-to-day operations and improve 

your customer interactions. It can track jobs, 

create quotes and estimates, manage invoices and 

keep your calendar and timesheets in order. 

For larger companies and those wanting to drive 

growth, Fergus Pro provides a full suite of powerful 

job management services with features like 

advanced project management, team collaboration 

tools, real-time reporting and enhanced 

customisation options. 

www.fergus.com 



“CORDLESS IS FAST BECOMING THE PREFERRED 

PLATFORM FOR MANY IN THE INDUSTRY” 

Simon Miller, Managing Director, HiKOKI Power Tools 

When it comes to which tools are going 

to be a hit in 2024 with roofing and 

cladding installers, it will almost 

certainly be cordless nailers. 

Advances in cordless nailer performance, 

enhanced by Lithium-ion battery technology and 

highly efficient brushless motors, means that 

cordless is fast becoming the preferred platform 

for many in the industry. There are no trailing 

power cords that pose trip hazards, no keeping 

gas cells warm in pockets on cold winter days – 

just consistent, awesome performance. 

In 2023 we launched the NT1850DFJXZ 18V 

Compact 18 Gauge Cordless Brad Nailer, which 

allows users to easily move around the jobsite 

without hoses or compressors, and can get a 

whopping 1,650 nails per charge with the 

included 3.0Ah compact battery. The 

Two words may be even more prevalent in 

the roofing contracting industry in 2024; 

safety and sustainability. 

NT1850DFJXZ employs a unique Air Spring 

Drive system that uses compressed air to 

drive each nail, resulting in zero ramp up 

time, increased driving speed and recoil 

that feels like a pneumatic nailer. 

So, expect cordless power tools to keep 

transforming the way we work on construction sites. 

By 2027 it is estimated that 90 per cent of all power 

tools sold will be cordless – if you haven’t done so 

already, maybe it’s time to make that switch! 

www.hikoki-powertools.co.uk 

“Expect cordless power 

tools to keep 

transforming the way 

we work” 

“RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS SOLAR 

PANELS ARE STILL BEING INSTALLED IN NUMBER” 

James Robinson, Sales and Marketing Director, Samac Fixings 

1st Fix collated nails continue to be a 

popular choice amongst roofers who want 

safety and quality in their nailers. 

“2023 SAW ALARMING 

THEFT STATS” 

Devin Chawda CEO ARMD 

As we edge into 2024, it’s the 

perfect time for hard-working 

roofing and cladding contractors 

to take control and get their kit insured, their 

vans protected against tool thefts and keep 

their livelihood safe. 

2023 saw some alarming stats on theft. There is 

one tool theft every 23 minutes which is over 

around 23,000 a year – and that’s only those 

that are reported. Settlement of these claims can 

take weeks or sometimes months, so something 

had to change. And it has. With ARMD, in just a 

few clicks you can have the peace of mind that 

should the worst happen, you will be back on the 

tools in days or even hours, rather than weeks. 

You can you register your tool inventory for free 

within the ARMD app, and the ARMD Guard 

Smart Van Alarm and Tracker is engineered to 

safeguard your tools and equipment. The “Plug 

and Play” alarm can be set up within a few 

minutes, with no technical knowledge required. 

You simply plug it into the OBD port in your van. 

The alarm is powered via your vehicle’s OBD 

port, ensuring that it remains operational without 

draining your van’s battery and the passive 

infrared sensor goes in the back and watches 

over your tools looking for movement. 

From 1st October 2023, the Building Safety 

Act has been in force and places strict 

requirements on the roofing contractor to comply 

with the Act. Similarly, although much was made 

in the news headlines around Net Zero in 

September 2023, renewable technologies such as 

solar panels are still being installed in number. 

The industry also has to ensure it is installing 

sustainable materials – often at the demand of 

environmentally conscious clients. 

For Samac Fixings, 2023 saw these trends 

reflected in our product range. Our Performance 

Range of wood screws was expanded to meet the 

demands of more applications, while our Viper 

Recognising the amount of solar panelling in 

the UK today, we launched the SolarGuard Pro, 

which you can retrofit to protect the panels from 

the build-up of debris under the panels, which 

can compromise the structure of the roof itself. 

We also launched Coloured Slate Hooks, the 

simple solution for fixing natural slate to pitched 

roofs and they are an alternative to copper clout 

nails. They come in light grey, dark grey and 

green, and provide an unobtrusive fixing solution, 

matching the colours against the colour of the 

slate itself, allowing the beauty of the roofing 

material to take centre stage. 

www.samacfixings.co.uk 

One of ARMD Guard’s standout features is its 

silent alert system. In the unfortunate event of a 

break-in, where your van is out of sight or is 

masked in darkness, the ARMD Guard discreetly 

calls you while the criminals are in action, 

without them knowing. This allows you to take 

swift action and call the police, potentially 

leading to the capture of the culprits in the act 

and the recovery of your stolen tools. 

In just a few clicks you can have the peace of 

mind that should the worst happen, you will be 

back on the tools in days or even hours. 

www.armd.uk 


“THE LRWA IS POISED TO COLLABORATE WITH CONTRACTOR MEMBERS” 

Sarah Spink, CEO of Liquid Roofing and Waterproofing Association (LRWA) 

Reflecting on the past 12 months, the liquid 

roofing industry has weathered a challenging 

landscape marked by high inflation rates, 

strikes in the transport, health and education 

sectors, as well as governmental instability. 

The uncertainties of the year were further 

compounded by the ongoing impact of the Grenfellrelated 

initiatives. Despite these hurdles, the sector 

has shown resilience, with construction product 

availability stabilising at pre-COVID levels. This 

brought much-needed equilibrium to pricing. 

A significant milestone this year was in September 

(2023), the UK saw the first construction products 

to achieve verification with the Code for 

Construction Product Information (CCPI). These 

products will become the first on the market to carry 

the CCPI mark; offering reassurance to users that 

product information from manufacturers is not only 

clear, accurate, and accessible, but is also up-todate 

and unambiguous. Amongst some of the first 

of these product systems to receive this 

validation are liquid applied membranes, from 

LRWA members. This is a fantastic 

accomplishment from companies represented 

within our association. 

The implementation of new responsibilities and 

systems under the Building Safety Act on 

October 1st, 2023, signalled a pivotal moment for 

those engaged in projects involving higher-risk 

buildings. These changes underscore the industry's 

commitment to enhancing safety standards and 

regulatory compliance. 

Looking ahead to 2024, the liquid roofing sector 

anticipates the cessation of Grandfather Rights on 

December 31st. This has prompted a surge in 

contractor membership as professionals strive to 

demonstrate competence in their specialised 

disciplines. The LRWA is poised to collaborate with 

contractor members, facilitating comprehensive 

plans to qualify their workforce in liquid roofing. This 

involves leveraging On-Site 

Assessment and Training (OSAT) for 

experienced workers and Specialist- 

Applied Skills Programmes (SAP) for 

apprentices, ultimately leading to the attainment of 

a blue skilled worker CSCS card. 

While 2024 is expected to present market 

challenges, liquid roofing and our association is 

experiencing a period of growth. This aligns with the 

anticipation of a buoyant refurbishment sector amid 

the backdrop of a general election and higher 

interest rates, further showcasing the adaptability 

and dynamism of the liquid applied membrane 

industry. 

As we embark on the upcoming year, the LRWA 

remains committed to supporting excellence, 

promoting workforce development, and steering 

the sector towards sustainable growth despite the 

prevailing uncertainties. 

www.lrwa.org.uk 

“PV WILL PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF ROOFS” 

Damien Pooley, Portfolio Manager for Pitched Roofing at BMI UK & Ireland 

Sustainability is a word we’re all hearing 

more frequently, and it’s having a direct 

impact on every industry – including 

roofing. Overarching ambitions such as 

net-zero are shaping the requirements of our 

built environment, often requiring buildings to 

work harder to become more efficient and 

underpin sustainability. 

Roofs are a fantastic example of how the fabric of 

buildings can evolve to do so much more than offer 

protection from the elements. As we head into 

2024, PV will play a greater role in unlocking the 

potential of roofs, helping to reduce carbon 

emissions and facilitate the creation of renewable 

energy. 

The past year has seen record increases in the 

number of installations as housebuilders and 

building owners look to renewable energy to 

improve efficiency. The changes to Part L of 

the Building Regulations in 2022 played a 

key role in this transition, requiring new 

homes to reduce carbon emissions by 31% 

and non-domestic buildings by 27%. 

With a wide variety of PV panels now in the 

marketplace and PV technology changing so rapidly, 

the emphasis will be on investing wisely by 

choosing the best system for the building. Elements 

to consider include power output, manufacturer 

support and guarantees, and the reliability of the 

panels as part of the full roof system. 

Our BMI Redland PV InDaX Adapt system features a 

half cut cell module technology to deliver high 

output performance and maximum energy yield 

throughout the day, even when the panels are in 

partial shade. Half-cut cells are also more 

physically durable than their traditional 

counterparts, being smaller in size, so more 

resistant to cracking. 

In-roof systems are an evolution of the traditional 

on-roof solar systems. As well as a need for less 

roof materials by taking the place of sections of the 

roof fabric, in-roof mounting systems ensure the 

compatibility, watertightness and reliability of the 

full roof system, as well as a seamless aesthetic. 

The BMI Redland PV InDaX Adapt system, backed 

by a 25-year power output guarantee, is a natural 

evolution of our decades of experience in 

manufacturing pitched roofing systems, enabling 

us to deliver expert design and specification 

support, as well as installation training. This 

makes the transition to solar easier than ever, 

helping roofing professionals to unlock the 

potential of roofs and maximise sustainability. 

www.bmigroup.com/uk/ 


It’s more 

than a roof 

It’s a Marley Solar Roof System.

LEARN MORE 

You may just see a roof. But by installing the complete 

Marley Solar Roof System, you’ll see benefits of a solution 

designed to work together, whilst making the most of the 

growing demand for roof integrated solar panels. 

It’s more than a roof, it’s an opportunity for roofers. 

marley.co.uk

Contractor Support 

CONTRACTORS & TRADE 

ASSOCIATIONS: DRIVING GROWTH 

Steve Leech, Business Development Manager for the Liquid Roofing and Waterproofing 

Association (LRWA), explains why he feels contractors should consider membership 

and outlines how the association’s latest initiatives are supporting roofers as well as the 

wider sector. 

During the past 12 months, the LRWA has 

encouraged specialist liquid contractors 

to join the association. There are several 

drivers behind this campaign delivering outcomes 

which are not only benefiting contractors, but our 

entire membership and the wider construction 

industry. 

Preparing for the future 

Following the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017, Dame 

Judith Hackitt was appointed by the Government 

to undertake an independent review of Building 

Regulations and fire safety. The 

Competence Steering Group, 

established in response to the 

Hackitt Review, set up 12 

Working Groups to determine the 

specific competence 

requirements for various 

occupations including designers, 

managers, supervisors and installers. 

As the need to prove competency intensifies, 

contractors have a key role to play. By being part 

Left: Steve Leech, Business Development 

Manager at the LRWA. 

of the LRWA, a contractor can 

help us to promote best practice 

across all liquid chemistries and 

assure specifiers that when 

choosing our members, they will 

receive a high-quality product and 

installation. 

Joining an established and respected trade 

association also gives a contractor access to 

essential information and knowledge. 

With so much change and innovation 

happening in construction, the LRWA has 

recently launched regional ‘contractor days.’ 


The Liquid Roofing & Waterproofing Association launched the #LRWAsocial this year, which resulted in two regional events at the Flight Club in London and Manchester. 

As a member of Build UK, the LRWA ensures 

contractors are updated on important issues 

such as the Building Safety Act 2022 and how 

this will impact their business. Representing 

more than 40 per cent of UK construction, Build 

UK brings together clients, main contractors and 

trade associations representing more than 

11,500 specialist contractors and other 

organisations committed to industry 

collaboration. 

The LRWA has also built strong working 

relationships with other trade associations, 

including the Single Ply Roofing Association 

(SPRA), National Federation of Roofing 

Contractors (NFRC), Green Roof Organisation 

(GRO) and the Institute of Roofing (IoR). This 

collaboration is raising the roofing industry’s 

profile and enabling us to share knowledge and 

expertise that will help us to achieve shared 

goals. 

Furthermore, the LRWA is represented on the 

boards of organisations, including the CPA and 

IoR, and is part of the post-Grenfell Industry 

Response Working Group 12. These appointments 

allow the LRWA to influence high level issues and 

developments affecting our members, as well as 

the whole construction industry. 

Up to speed 

With so much change and innovation happening 

in construction, the LRWA has recently launched 

regional ‘contractor days.’ The first was held 

earlier this year and was so successful that we 

organised another in November 2023. 

The objective of these events is to help 

contractors find out about the latest technical 

and training updates, products and services that 

could affect their business. At the same time, 

they provide a platform for us to fully understand 

the topics that matter the most to contractors, 

ensuring we are in a stronger position to respond 

through our representation on industry 

committees and boards. 

Through interactive presentations and 

discussions, we aim to offer an engaging 

environment that helps all attendees to build their 

knowledge, including insights which could 

positively impact roofers. These could range from 

demonstrations on new products through to 

information on training to enhance the skills of 

employees. For example, those that took part in 

the first contractor day got the chance to see our 

Specialist Applied-skills Programme (SAP) in 

action. 

The equivalent of an apprenticeship for our 

sector, SAP was developed to train future roofers 

in how to expertly install liquid-applied 

membranes. As an LRWA member, contractors 

can also access funding to support this training. 

Those who complete the course can achieve an 

NVQ Level 2 qualification, enabling them to obtain 

a CSCS card. 

Under one roof 

The opportunity to network is another benefit of 

trade association membership. We recognise the 

power of bringing people and companies together 

to help discover new business opportunities. 

This saw us launch the #LRWAsocial this year, 

which resulted in two regional events at the Flight 

Club in Shoreditch and Manchester. Contractor, 

manufacturer and associate members were in 

attendance to try their hand at social darts while 

meeting both new and existing contacts. 

The positive feedback we received underlined 

how useful these events are for our members, 

which is why they will become a regular fixture in 

the LRWA diary. 

A step ahead 

As the construction industry continues to rapidly 

change, trade associations must evolve too. It is 

vital that we represent our sector at all levels and 

work with others to help deliver positive change 

and best practice. By being part of the LRWA, 

contractors will not only help us to achieve this 

aim, but benefit from tailored support and 

opportunities that will put them in a stronger 

position for the future. 

Contact LRWA 

www.lrwa.org.uk 

+44 (0)333 987 4581 

LRWA 


Viewpoint: Retentions 

TIME FOR ROOFERS TO PROFIT FROM 

ROLLBACK OF RETENTION PROCESS 

The retention process remains a source of contention across the building industry. The 

practice means clients can withhold paying contractors up to 5% of a contract’s value 

until their works are completed. This, along with the 12-month liability period, which is 

often extended by residential developers to cover potential maintenance visits, means it 

can take contractors up to four years from a project’s completion to receive full payment. 

In this feature, Tony Lawther, Managing Director of leading commercial roofing contractor 

BriggsAmasco, makes a case for abolishing the retention process, which he feels is 

stifling the growth of smaller, less-established building contractors. 

Following a most challenging 18 months or 

so for the construction industry – perhaps 

the most challenging I’ve known during my 

time in the sector – the first quarter of 2023 

brought an air of positivity. We saw a month-onmonth 

fall in fuel prices and building product 

prices stabilised as raw materials became more 

available. This brought greater certainty to the 

procurement process, allowing manufacturers, 

contractors and the like to provide more medium 

and long-term project pricing. 

Aid to recovery 

I believe this recovery will be aided by a change 

to Tier One contractors’ payment practices, 

particularly in respect of retentions. It’s an issue 

I’ve long felt strongly about, and a protocol I’d like 

to see banned. Traditionally, for a client or main 

Tony Lawther, MD, 

BriggsAmasco 

contractor, the contractual withholding of 

payment provides assurance that project works 

will be completed and any defects that develop 

shall be remedied. However, in the absence of 

any hard and fast governance, over the years too 

many contractors have felt obliged to retain their 

payment for longer than is necessary. Indeed, the 

sums on offer for smaller projects provide no real 

incentive for contractors to return for 

maintenance visits. The better option for 

contractors and to ensure their good reputation is 

upheld, is to simply address any defect issues in 

line with a contract’s requirements. Hence, 

retention has become an unfair practice that has 

invariably led payees into a seemingly ceaseless 

chase to receive outstanding monies that is 

rightfully theirs. 

It is estimated that in England, the construction 

industry holds between £3.2 and £5.9 billion in 

Continued on page 28 


MANUFACTURERS OF 

PVC SINGLE PLY 

MEMBRANES 

Agrément Certificate 

14/5118 

Trevissome Park - Installed by Pellow Flat Roofing 

Alongside our extensive range of flat roofing materials, our dedicated 

teams offer a collection of services to support your flat roofing projects 

from start to finish: 

Installation Training Courses 

hosted by expert technicians. 

Specification, calculation, & 

tapered scheme services. 

Site visits, roof surveys, core 

samples, adhesion tests, etc. 

Regular site inspections 

throughout your project. 

CPD Presentations by our 

Specification Team. 

10 to 35 year warranties, 

with options for IBGs. 

uksales@danosa.com 

www.danosa.co.uk

Viewpoint: Retentions 

Continued from page 26 

retention fees during the course of a year. 

Although perhaps not such an issue for larger 

companies, for lesser-established contractors, 

receiving or being withheld a project fee could be 

the difference between staying in business and 

bankruptcy. 

Industry consultation 

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) is 

addressing the retention issue as part of a survey 

to discover how payment reporting is working 

within the sector. This will help inform a 

government consultation: ‘Amendments to the 

Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 

2017’. The regulations were devised to ensure 

large business compliance in respect of prompt 

payments. With the legislation due to expire in 

2024, the consultation will help decide whether it 

should continue beyond that date. 

In data published by Build UK under the 

government’s ‘Duty to Report on Payment 

Practices and Performance’, there are positive 

signs for payees since the information was first 

reported in July 2018. It revealed a reduction in 

the average time invoices were paid, from 45 

“For lesser-established 

contractors, receiving 

or being withheld a 

project fee could be 

the difference between 

staying in business 

and bankruptcy” 

days to 30 days. It also showed the number of 

invoices being paid within 60 days increased 

from 63% to 80%. As part of its advocacy for a 

shake-up of construction industry payment 

regulations, Build UK has also devised a roadmap 

that proposes a move to zero retentions by no 

later than 2025. 

Transformative change 

Thanks to initiatives instigated by the likes of the 

CLC and Build UK, the case for a revision of late 

payment practices continues to strengthen 

throughout the industry. But complacency will not 

lead to a positive outcome. Speaking to 

‘Construction Management’ website, Steve Bratt, 

Chair of the CLC Business Models Workstream, 

said much work was needed to deliver ‘next level 

transformative change’ to improve payment 

behaviours. 

According to Steve, who is also Chief Executive of 

the Electrical Contractors Association, a step in 

the right direction in respect of transparency 

would be for a widening of the Duty to Report on 

Payment Performance Regulations to include the 

value of retention payments made, as well as the 

volume. I agree. Being found to maintain a 

veritable mountain of retention payment to 

smaller businesses would not represent a good 

look for any of our large contractors. But would it 

solve the issue in the long run? I’m not so sure. 

For my part, I’ve been feeding my thoughts and 

that of other roofing contractors to the NFRC 

regarding the retention process. So, let’s hope we 

see real progress on this long-standing matter 

before long. 

Contact BriggsAmasco 

briggsamasco.co.uk 

0121 502 9600 

Briggs Amasco Ltd 


Redefining Surfaces. 

Redefining Projects. 

Exterior 

Façade of 

Redeveloped 

Vantage Point 

Archway Tower 

The ultra-compact surface, 

Dekton ® by Cosentino has 

been selected for use for the 

Vantage Point Archway Tower 

redevelopment project 

in London 

Project Archway Tower 

Architect GRID Architects 

Dekton ® Surface 3,000 m2 

Façade Dekton Danae Natural Collection 

25 Year Warranty. 

Find more projects, technical info 

and inspiration at cosentino.com 

COSENTINO UK 01256 761229 / info.uk@cosentino.com / Follow Us: F T

Roofing Battens 

BUILDING PRODUCT TRUST 

& CERTAINTY 

So why should roofing contractors really care about the Code for Construction Product 

Information? Daniel Weait, National Accounts Manager, explains all… 

The new Code for Construction Product 

Information (CCPI) is a landmark initiative 

for the construction sector as it aims to 

deliver transparent and independently verified 

product information to the trade. 

Roof batten, as a central component of a 

structurally strong pitched roof, is an important area 

where the introduction of the CCPI can add value 

and further help eradicate sub-standard batten 

choices. 

All construction product categories, from tiles on the 

roof to the foundations in the ground, offer a myriad 

of product choices from an array of manufacturers 

and suppliers. 

Navigating the maze of potential product options 

can be time consuming for busy contractors who 

are naturally keen to complete projects on time and 

to budget. 

Daniel Weait, National Accounts Manager and CCPI 

Project Lead at Marley, outlines how the launch of 

the CCPI should make the selection process easier. 

What is the code? 

The new CCPI code has been developed as the 

result of collaboration across the construction 

sector in recent years, and is a consequence of 

2018’s Hackitt Report, a landmark review into 

building regulations and fire safety. The CCPI further 

strengthens the accuracy and transparency by 

which construction product manufacturers manage 

and provide external information on products. 

What does it aim to do? 

The CCPI will ensure the trade has access to 

accurate and relevant product information to aid 

decision-making and help provide increased 

product certainty for the construction sector. The 

code’s aim is simple: to drastically strengthen the 

Marley says its JB Red Batten is the only UK manufactured 

BS 5534 factory graded roof batten carrying both BBA 

certification and the CCPI mark, making it an independently 

verified and quality-led solution. 

precision and transparency by which 

manufacturers must generate, manage and share 

external information about the products they 

supply to the industry. 

How do products get verified? 

The code should make the product search and 

selection process easier. It means contractors who 

choose to use a product that is verified with the 

CCPI mark know that the marketing claims around 

its manufacture and performance have been 

independently assessed across eleven clauses. 

The CCPI verification process is a rigorous, in-depth 

and wide-ranging examination to ensure the 

manufacturer can substantiate the external 

declarations it makes for the specific product under 

consideration. 

In addition, CCPI verification is also based upon a 

forensic assessment of the organisation behind the 

product, including close examination of the internal 

management processes that support the generation 

and sharing of specific product information. 

It’s important to remember, the CCPI verification 

applies only to the product and not the 

manufacturer behind it. 

How will the CCPI help with batten choice? 

The certainty provided by CCPI verification means 

contractors can choose important components such 

as roof battens with increased confidence. 

Roof battens are a central component of a 

structurally strong pitched roof, and roof is the type 

of product category where the introduction of the 

CCPI will add real value, as well as safety-driven 

benefit. 

This is especially important as concerns about 

inferior roof batten use on UK roofing projects 

continues. 

Due to the high industry demand for ‘treated 

battens’, some product options are not compliant or 

have not been exposed to the correct preservative 

treatment process. This can result in builders or 

roofing contractors mistakenly selecting a batten 

which they believe meets BS 5534. Here, the 

standard calls for battens to be treated with a highpressure 

preservative to strengthen and preserve 

the material. 

Weakened or sub-standard roofing battens can 

have consequences, both for contractors using 

them to stand on as part of the roof installation, or 

their long-term ability to support the roof’s weight. 

Because of these reasons, it is important that the 

trade has access to fully rounded product 

information when it comes to making important roof 

batten choices. 

The best safeguard to ensure compliance with 

regulations and reduce any health and safety risks 

should see contractors always select factory graded 

roofing battens that meet the BS 5534 standard, 

and are manufactured by an established supplier 

with a recognised third-party certification. 

Contact Marley 

www.marley.co.uk/roofsystem 

01283 722222 

Marley 


Flat Roofing 

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF 

MANUFACTURING IN MANCHESTER 

Stewart Britton, Project and Technical Specification Director at BMI UK & Ireland, looks 

back on a century of manufacturing in Manchester – and discusses what the future 

holds for BMI Icopal. 

Manchester has been home to BMI Icopal 

for a hundred years, and in that time 

the business has made its mark on 

roofscapes across the UK’s towns and cities, 

supporting roofing professionals with the 

specification, manufacture and supply of 

innovative flat roofing systems. 

But it’s not just this support that has made BMI 

Icopal a dependable partner to contractors across 

the industry. Every roofing system is backed by 

extensive technical services, diagnostic support 

and design – a winning combination that unlocks 

the potential of roofs everywhere. 

That’s why the company has built a 

reputation for quality, with products 

used on projects across the UK. From 

Heathrow Airport through to the National 

Exhibition Centre, Icopal’s roofing systems 

have been specified for use on buildings spanning 

the retail, education and healthcare sectors. 

Building the foundations of success 

Originally known as Anderson, and founded in 

Belfast by David Anderson in 1854, the company 

moved to Trafford Park in Manchester in 1923 as 

the world-renowned industrial park was first 

being developed. 

When Icopal acquired the business in 1990, it 

built on the company’s heritage to spearhead 

innovation, drive standards across the industry 

and support roofing professionals with highperformance 

products and solutions backed by an 

extensive range of technical support and services. 

It’s from this foundation that the business now 

supports all stakeholders with the diverse and 

Left: Stewart Britton. Above: the Icopal site in Manchester: “In recent years, significant investment has been 

made to create a production facility that is fit for the future.” 

often unique challenges that they face 

on every job. This goes beyond delivering 

reliable products and leading technical support, 

extending to BMI Icopal’s work with the Intelligent 

Membrane Association since its inception in the 

mid-90s. 

Setting the standard for quality 

Continuous innovation has played a key role in 

BMI Icopal’s century of success. As well as 

developing the systems and support that 

underpins performance, safety and sustainability 

have also been key focusses for the business. 

Pioneering solvent-free installation has improved 

safety on site, while the creation of de-polluting 

membranes such as Noxite means that flat roof 

systems can now play an active role in the 

sustainability of the built environment. The 

innovative material, which actively removes 

harmful nitrogen oxides from the immediate 

environment, is already in use on buildings 

across the country, including on retail stores such 

as John Lewis in Kingston upon Thames. 

With BMI Icopal’s 33,000sqm production site in 

Manchester playing a critical role in the 

company’s success to date, it’s also pivotal in 

its future. In recent years, significant investment 

has been made to create a production facility 

that is fit for the future. That’s involved 

transforming spaces to accommodate today’s 

requirements, through to creating a state-of-art 

production line. 

It is these efforts that have made BMI Icopal’s 

name synonymous with quality – something that 

looks set to continue for the next 100 years. 

Contact BMI UK & Ireland 

www.bmigroup.com/uk/ 

BMI UK & Ireland 


CHOOSE COMPATIBILITY 

CHOOSE THE IDV 

INTERLOCKING DRY VERGE 

Our innovative Interlocking Dry Verge is perfect for most single lap interlocking 

concrete tiles between 260 and 355mm batten gauges and tested for wind uplift 

resistance and complies with the BS 8612 standard for dry fixed products. 

For interlocking roof 

verges, only the Slate 

Grey contains up to 

100% recycled PP 

Crest 

Double Pantile 

Double Roman 

Planum 

Breedon 

Double Roll 

Flat 

Square Top 

Forticrete 

Senator 

V2 

Sandtoft 

(Wienerberger) 

Calderdale Slate 

Dual Calderdale 

Double Pantile 

Double Roman 

Lindum 

Olympus 

Neo Pantile 

Shire Pantile 

Standard Pattern 

BMI (Redlands) 

Double Roman 

Fenland 

Grovebury 

Landmark Double Pantile 

Mini Stonewold 

Norfolk Pantile 

Regent 

Renown 

Stonewold MKll 

Edilians 

Alpha 10 

HP10 

HP17 

Quinn 

Locherne 

Western Slate 

Marley 

Anglia Plus 

Duo Modern 

Double Roman 

Ludlow Major 

Ludlow Plus 

Malvern 

Mendip 

Modern 

Wessex 

Russell 

hambleside-danelaw.co.uk 

PITCHED ROOFING 01327 701 910 

Argyll IDV 

Cheviot IDV 

Derwent IDV 

Double Roman IDV 

Grampian IDV 

Highland IDV 

Pennine 

HOT MELT COOKER HIRE 

GAS HEATED 

Thermostatically controlled, air-jacketed mixers 

available in 2 sizes: 

• 1.5 drum, 110 volt, caster mounted with lifting points 

• 3 drum, 110 volt, caster mounted with lifting points 

For further information 

or a hire quotation call 

01858 412 100 

Email: sales@cookerhire.com 

www.cookerhire.com 

ELECTRIC HEATED 

• 1.5 drum, silent-running with 415 volt 

3 phase 32 amps (load 20KW) 

• For sites that prohibit liquid propane gas 

Fully serviced prior to delivery. Operator training available.

An ever-increasing number of households 

Solar PV 

SOLARGUARD PRO: TACKLING DIRT 

AND DEBRIS ON PV PROJECTS 

Many households in the UK have installed solar panels, but as James Robinson, Sales 

and Marketing Director of Samac Fixings explains, build-up of debris under the panels 

can cause issues, but a solution does exist to prevent this occurring... 

are turning to solar panels to both reduce 

their environmental footprint, and to rein in 

skyrocketing heating costs. Data from the 

Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) 

suggests there are around 1.3 million homes with 

solar panel installations, and there is good 

reason to adopt this technology. Even on overcast 

days, modern solar panels are capable of 

generating a significant amount of energy. This, 

coupled with rising concerns about energy 

security and climate change, has led to a surge in 

demand for solar installations across the nation. 

For roofers, the rise in solar panel installations 

presents a good opportunity for expansion and 

diversification. As more homeowners and 

businesses opt for solar energy solutions, the 

demand for experienced professionals capable of 

installing and maintaining these systems is at an 

all-time high. But beneath the gleaming promise 

of solar energy lies a hidden challenge – 

maintenance. 

From soggy leaves to unyielding dirt, the stubborn 

debris that accumulates under the solar panels 

can create an environment ripe for mould and rot, 

jeopardising the structural integrity of a roof and 

its capacity to support the weight of panels 

themselves. 

Moreover, these panels offer irresistible nesting 

spots and perfect perches for birds. This leads to 

corrosive droppings gathering beneath and on top 

of the panels, in gutters and on patios below. 

Some solutions to stop this involve drilling onto 

the panels, increasing the risk of extremely costly 

damage and voiding the panel warranty. 

However, there is an answer. Solarguard Pro is a 

Top: Samac Fixings has launched the Solarguard Pro. Above: 

Some panels offer nesting spots and perfect perches for birds. 

retrofit solution that can sort out these tricky 

maintenance problems. Installation is simple – 

just attach the two corner pieces to the highest 

row of panels, position the guard sections 

between them and secure in place with a 

mounting clamp. In keeping with the eco-friendly 

nature of solar panels, any waste product 

generated during installation can be recycled. 

Each pack of Solarguard Pro is easy to install and 

safeguards up to eight solar panels. Simply affix 

the two corner pieces to the highest row of 

panels, position the guard sections between them 

and secure them in place with a mounting clamp. 

Each pack includes 20 guards, four corner 

guards, and 108 mounting clamps, suitable for 

“This is a good 

opportunity for roofing 

contractors to add 

value to their 

customers and protect 

solar panels for years 

to come” 

use on all solar panels with a U-profile. It also 

comes with a reassuring 10-year warranty, 

offering installers and homeowners genuine 

peace of mind. 

With the growing number of households turning to 

solar panels in a bid to reduce their 

environmental impact and slash soaring heating 

bills, this is a good opportunity for roofing 

contractors to add value to their customers and 

protect solar panels for years to come. 

Contact Samac Fixing 

01268 764 488 

www.samacfixings.co.uk 

Samac Fixings Ltd 


Solar 

Ventilation 

Condensation 

Control 

Choice 

is everything 

With one of the most comprehensive 

ranges of roof underlays and ventilation 

solutions available in the UK and Ireland, 

Glidevale Protect offers tried and trusted 

performance for any project. When you’re 

creating better buildings and healthy 

homes, choice really is everything. 

Glidevale Protect is a specialist UK producer, 

offering ventilation solutions, condensation control 

and energy efficiency across the built environment. 

For technical guidance contact us 

on +44 (0)161 905 5700 

email info@glidevaleprotect.com 

or visit glidevaleprotect.com/choice

Pitched Roofing 

WE CONTINUE TO INVEST & INNOVATE 

Andrew Hayward, Managing Director of Russell Roof Tiles, looks back on a year of 

investment for the company in a tricky period for the sector, and gives his thoughts on 

what to look out for in 2024… 

This year has been a tough one, the market is 

down which has been compounded by the 

challenges of continued high prices for both 

raw materials and energy, and generally high 

charges. This means we’ve focused on maximising 

manufacturing efficiencies, investing specifically in 

technologies which can improve output. 

For example, this year we started using a 

production monitoring system that helps the focus 

on key downtime hotspots and assess potential 

efficiency gains. The new system is being utilised at 

our dedicated plastics site, enabling us to have 

real-time data on its injection moulding machines, 

which produces our UPVC accessories, including 

dry verge systems. 

Economy 

Despite the recent drop in inflation figures 

announced in early November, the economy 

continues to suffer. 

Continued high costs from the series of interest rate 

hikes have really hit the residential new build sector 

hard. Even though mortgages are now slightly more 

accessible, this really hit the first-time buyers. This 

squeeze on the new home market has seen some 

construction firms – specifically in the 

housebuilding sector – struggle and even go into 

administration because of the challenging wider 

picture. 

Despite the Government’s pledge to increase home 

ownership and help boost the supply of much 

needed properties, the Help to Buy scheme has 

closed and the market is still awaiting the next 

Government initiative to boost the market. 

Housing minister Lee Rowley has said: “Helping 

more people into homeownership is a priority and 

Help to Buy has been pivotal in helping us achieve 

that.” It may have had its critics, but the 

market is still awaiting a replacement 

for Help to Buy. 

The uncertainty of developers is 

further evidenced by the overall 

reduction in planning applications. 

Challenging international factors such as the 

continued crisis in Ukraine, and more recently in 

Gaza, impacts global trade. The supply chain 

globally continues to be impacted by China and post 

Brexit red tape. 

What does 2024 have in store? 

Despite the current tough market we continue to 

invest and innovate. In May we announced an 

£18.5m investment project with a new state-ofthe-art 

plant in Burton on Trent. This will deliver 

more manufacturing lines and a new 1600 sq m 

building which will house a state-of-the-art curing 

chamber (only the second of its type in the country). 

The new facility, a QUADRIX from Kraft Curing 

Systems GmbH, accelerates the curing process 

through the controlled addition of heat and humidity. 

This guarantees a continually uniform environment 

for curing, with high air volumes at a low flow rate. 

Not only does this new system improve quality of 

the concrete roof tiles, it is the most sustainable 

curing method available globally, aligning with our 

commitment to sustainability. 

Sustainability 

This will continue to be a major theme within our 

sector into 2024 and beyond, and through 

construction as a whole. It is certainly an issue that 

is not going away. 

Advances in technology are making concrete roof 

tiles an ever more sustainable pitched roofing 

solution. We launched our Net Zero 2040 pledge, 

Left: Andrew Hayward, Managing Director of 

Russell Roof Tiles. 

with a roadmap of how we intend to 

reduce carbon emissions across 

the operation and the wider supply 

chain. 

We already actively engage with suppliers 

to encourage energy reductions and sustainable 

practices, and are rated as ‘Excellent’ under the 

BES 6001 certification for responsible sourcing. All 

of our manufacturing sites are covered by ISO 

14001 approved environmental management 

systems, and we make a concerted effort to 

minimise our impact on the wider environment. 

We have worked hard to source materials locally 

and are the first British roof tile manufacturer to 

have achieved an “Excellent” rating for responsible 

supplier sourcing. RRT is signed up to the SME 

Climate Hub, which is a government initiative 

aimed at getting SME businesses in the UK on the 

path to Net Zero. We also achieved gold status with 

the Supply Chain Sustainability School, which is a 

multi-award-winning initiative that represents a 

common approach to addressing sustainability 

within supply chains. 

Since we launched our NetZero commitment in 

2022, all of our products have been reviewed to 

ensure they are designed with sustainability in 

mind. Our large format concrete interlocking tiles 

are specifically designed to provide customers with 

a product that requires less fixings and fewer 

battens than small format clay alternatives, helping 

reduce overall material requirements on a roof. 

Contact Russell Roof Tiles 

www.russellrooftiles.com 

Russell Roof Tiles 


Advertorial: Novia 

PART L: THE ROLE OF ROOFREFLEX 

The team at Novia explain how Aluthermo RoofReflex can solve construction issues 

associated with achieving U-values required under the changes Part L... 

In June 2022, Part L of the Building 

Regulations was updated to include 

revised U-values for new builds, 

refurbishments, and extensions. These 

updates are designed to improve the 

energy efficiency of buildings and reduce 

their carbon footprint. New Approved 

Document L (ADL 2021) which came into effect on 

15th June 2022, gives technical guidance on how to 

meet the energy efficiency requirements contained 

in Part L of the Building Regulations. There are two 

parts to ADL 2021; Conservation of Fuel and Power, 

Volume 1 – Dwellings, and Conservation of Fuel and 

Power, volume 2 – Buildings Other Than Dwellings 

(ADL1 and ADL2 respectively). These documents 

set out the acceptable provisions for compliance 

with Building Regulations with regards to energy 

efficiency requirements. 

The new U-value requirements for the three building 

elements; roofs, walls, and floors, can be found in 

the table above. 

The most common way to improve on U-values is to 

increase the amount of, or change the type of, 

insulation. The ‘New Builds’ U-value requirement 

for roofs is particularly difficult to achieve at 0.11 

W/m²K. To get to these low levels, typically two 

thicknesses of PIR insulation; 100mm and 75mm, 

are used between the truss, and 25mm below rafter 

for thermal bridging. Insulation distributors seldom 

stock PIR boards greater than 150mm thickness, 

hence the need for two separate boards between 

the rafters. The extra cutting on site and cost of 

multiple PIR insulation boards makes this a 

laboursome and expensive solution. Often, deeper 

trusses are used to accommodate more insulation. 

This has a knock-on effect whereby soffit depths 

must then be made deeper, as well as other 

building elements needing to change to fit with the 

new design. 

Above: Table shows the new U-value requirements for the three building elements. 

Other materials and technologies can be utilised to 

help bring down the U-value without having to move 

away from traditional building methods. Insulation 

over the rafter is one such solution. Additionally, the 

use of reflective membrane technology can help to 

lower U-values down by creating low emissivity 

cavities by reducing radiant heat transfer. 

Introducing Aluthermo RoofReflex 

RoofReflex is an insulated roof and wall underlay 

membrane that is both airtight and vapour open. It 

is fully compliant to BS EN 13859-1 and EN 13859- 

2. It is CE approved as a breathable membrane and 

is EN 1928 W1 waterproof compliant. RoofReflex is 

normally used in conjunction with other standard 

insulation products to enhance the overall U-value 

of any installation. 

RoofReflex is a highly flexible product which can be 

used in a wide range of building designs to improve 

U-values by virtue of an integrated insulation layer 

laminated to a low emissivity surface. In certain 

configurations the overall thickness of both the 

insulation and the overall construction can be 

reduced. 

Unlike multifoil products which are used in the 

same application, RoofReflex doesn’t rely primarily 

on reflective technology for its thermal performance, 

the bulk of the product is 0.0366 W/m²K insulation, 

made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. This 

gives the product a true thermal value which can be 

used in a U-value calculator, as opposed to merely 

having an R-value based on reflectivity alone. 

RoofReflex’s reflective, low emissivity surface also 

gives the product an additional level of 

performance when it’s installed facing a 

cavity. 

How can RoofReflex assist with 

new Part L U-value requirements? 

RoofReflex is used in the external 

element of walls and roofs, therefore not 

contributing to the truss/stud depth. Owing to its 

excellent thermal qualities, you can reduce the 

amount of rigid insulation required. To give an 

example of this in a new build roof scenario, the 

introduction of RoofReflex above the rafter could 

potentially reduce the PIR insulation between the 

truss to a single 150mm board, and still achieve a 

0.11 W/m²K U-value, when used in combination 

with a highly reflective vapour control layer, such as 

Novia VC200, behind the plasterboard within a low 

emissivity cavity. 

RoofReflex doesn’t only provide an alternative 

solution to new Part L requirements, it can also help 

to reduce solar gain in summer by reflecting heat 

away from the building thanks to its reflective 

surface. Additionally, being an insulation and not 

just a multifoil, RoofReflex has acoustic benefits, 

plus it will also help to reduce thermal bridging. 

The modern-day aim is to build airtight and wellventilated 

houses. RoofReflex is both airtight and 

vapour permeable, and it has integral tape to 

ensure continuity of airtightness. 

With a great many benefits, RoofReflex is an 

excellent solution to many of today’s construction 

issues and there is peace of mind with every 

installation, as RoofReflex is backed-up by a 10- 

year warranty. 

Contact Novia Limited 

novia.co.uk 

Novia Limited 


Roofing Updates 

CCPI FOR JB RED 

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

Marley’s JB Red Batten has become one of 

the first construction products to achieve 

verification with the new Code for 

Construction Product Information (CCPI). 

Developed following the Hackitt review into building 

regulations and fire safety, the CCPI is backed with 

industry support, and aims to change the way 

construction product manufacturers manage and 

provide information on products. 

The third-party verification means that users of a 

specific product can have confidence that it has 

been fully assessed across a series of eleven 

clauses. They include the internal product 

information sign off process, removal of misleading 

or ambiguous wording in product descriptions, 

availability of documentation to support specific 

product claims, and a robust and ongoing training 

programme to ensure product knowledge is only 

relayed by competent personnel. Marley says its JB 

Red Batten is the first of its products to have 

achieved the standard set by the CCPI, having 

undergone the full assessment process. As the only 

BS 5534 factory graded roof batten manufactured 

in the UK, JB Red now holds both BBA certification 

and carries the CCPI mark. 

Daniel Weait, National Accounts Manager and CCPI 

Project Lead at Marley, commented: “We are 

delighted that the JB Red Batten has been verified 

to carry the CCPI mark. As an early adopter, Marley 

is supportive of the construction industry’s 

efforts to ensure transparent product information 

is available across the supply chain to help 

specifiers and product users make better 

informed and accurate decisions.” 

www.marley.co.uk 

SCOTTISH FOCUS FOR PERMAROOF COMMERCIAL 

PermaRoof Commercial has completed a significant project on a property in the East Lothian region. 

Using a total of 250 square metres of the PermaRoof 500 liquid roofing solution across four separate roofs, as well as 

the RubberGard EPDM, the PermaRoof commercial team advised the Edinburgh-based installers, Tait and Mapp, 

throughout the project. The P500 system was chosen for its fast-acting weather resistance and roll-on application 

making it ideal for complicated roofs. Sunny Lotay, National Commercial Manager of PermaRoof Commercial, said: 

“We’ve been gradually extending our presence in Scotland over the past year and this project has been a great 

foothold for us to demonstrate our expertise and ability there. We’ve already had multiple leads generated from the 

results we’ve been able to share. We’re sure this upward trajectory will continue to rise and are looking forward to upcoming work planned in Scotland. 

“This job was a textbook fix. Everything ran as smoothly as it could. We’ve known the client for a long time and are always happy to help whenever they come 

across even a minor issue. When we first visited the project, we carried out all the relevant core testing and site surveys and continued to be on hand 

throughout installation to offer our full technical support where needed.” www.permaroofcommercial.co.uk/ 

TILE VENT SALES ARE UP FOR KLOBER 

Roofing manufacturer Klober has revealed an impressive 27.4% surge in year-on-year sales for its tile vent 

offering, which it attributes to growing awareness of the need to address roofspace ventilation. 

Nick King, Portfolio Manager at Klober, believes this provides a panorama of the industry’s wider understanding of the 

importance of ventilation, and can be attributed to increased guidance from Government. In particular, he says key 

updates to building regulations are affecting construction, with new ventilation requirements coming into effect in 2025 

under the Future Homes and Building Standard. Nick commented: “These trends present a clear picture. As the management of moisture in homes has 

become more crucial, we have seen an increased focus on retrofitting components that aid ventilation, which indicates growing awareness of the dangers 

of condensation and associated mould growth. We’re keen to continue working with contractors and merchant customers to deliver efficient domestic 

solutions that preserve homeowner safety.” 

For those wishing to find out more about the solutions to ensure movement of air and the elimination of condensation, please visit: 

https://klober.co.uk/resource-centre/downloads 


Feeling 

you are at 

a career 

crossroads? 

With 2023 closing to an end, it’s completely 

natural to assess the past 12 months and feel 

totally confused about what 2024 will bring 

with your current employer. If you are in this 

position it is better to be on the front foot 

and plan your next career move, than on the 

back foot and have change forced upon you. 

Luke McCormack, 

Founder and Owner of 

McCormack Partners 

The 3 

greatest 

problems 

limiting the 

growth of 

roofing and 

Over the past 7 years, 

I’ve had the privilege of 

building relationships 

and working closely with 

many of the fastest-growing roofing 

and cladding companies in the UK. It’s 

been incredible to witness the growth of 

the industry over this time and it’s been 

very satisfying to see many of my clients 

quadruple their turnover, get off the 

front lines and get more enjoyment out 

of their career and life. 

Whether I am working with a global 

cladding manufacturer or a regional 

roofing contractor, it is apparent to 

me that the inability to quickly recruit 

specialist staff from within the industry 

is one of the biggest challenges holding

you’ve e hired you’ve hired them, hired them, hired you them, you need them, you notch need you need to you talent, to need ensure to to need ensure 

Cladding industry challenging, but with the right 

companies to that ensure to that ensure can they that struggle they that they that they to stay they ahead However, of 

However, they However, they can they can they can be can be they be recruited can be can be recruited be if recruited if you if you if have you if have you if have a you a specialist have a a have a spe a 

partner you can have faster, more efficient hiring! 

seamlessly sly integrate integrate into integrate into your into their your into competitors your company into your company your and culture, company achieve culture, their share 

goals. culture, share 

It’s share incredibly share Roofing Roofing && Cladding Roofing & & Cladding & & head-hunter Cladding head-hunter on on on your on your on your team. 

on your team. 

your team. team 

frustrating when you’re unable to put together an We take a deep dive into the DNA of your business and 

your values, your and values, and values, align and align and align with and align with A-team your with align with your of your vision. with skilled your vision. your and Failure vision. qualified Failure vision. to Failure professionals to do to Failure do to do do to do 

to execute do provide a bespoke service that tailored to your specific 

By By By leveraging By By leveraging By leveraging our our our expertise our our expertise our and expertise and resources, and and resources, and resources, you you can you can can you fill can fill yo fil c 

so can n lead can so to lead to can a to lead a demoralized to a lead a to demoralized a to a your demoralized vision. workforce, workforce, workforce, decreased 

decreased 

decreased needs and requirements. 

key key key roles key roles key roles faster, key roles faster, roles reducing faster, faster, reducing the reducing the the time the time the time and the time and costs and time costs and associated and costs costs a 

job satisfaction, job satisfaction, and and ultimately, and and ultimately, and ultimately, lower lower productivity lower lower productivity productivity and 

and and and and 

But it’s not just about finding the right people. Once Top-Tier candidates are not actively applying for jobs. 

you’ve hired them, you need to ensure that they with with lost with lost However, with lost productivity lost with lost productivity they lost can productivity be and recruited and bad and bad and if hires. you bad and hires. bad have bad a hires. specialist hires. 

performance. 

rmance. 

TAKE ACTION. seamlessly integrate into your company culture, share Roofing & Cladding head-hunter on your team. 

your values, and align with your vision. Failure to do 

By leveraging our expertise and resources, you can fill 

so can lead to a demoralized workforce, decreased 

key roles faster, reducing the time and costs associated 

You’re most likely job satisfaction, not going and to ultimately, just walk lower into productivity your and We understand that in such an incestuous industry 

with lost productivity and bad hires. 

new role, especially performance. if you’re making a big change as Roofing it is very important that no-one else 

McCormack McCormack Partners Partners Partners have 

have 

have have 

As members of the NFRC and the only recruitment 

- and at this time of year it can be particularly 

knows company your in next existence move. who And recruit so we solely provide in the Roofing one of 

recently 

difficult recently to successfully 

secured recently secured seven secured 

do seven 

your market 

seven members 

seven members 

research 

members the most & Cladding private industry, and we adaptable pride ourselves approaches on our expertise to our 

McCormack Partners have 

and determine what the chances are of getting the candidates track on record the market. sourcing expert candidates who 

staff of of staff for of for staff for our staff for our for our business. for our business. our business. The recently The The candidates 

The secured The candidates 

seven ground-running. 

ground-running. 

members fit with your unique company profile and can hit-theground-running. 

that t were that were that 

position 

brought were were brought 

you truly 

brought to to of to interview 

desire. staff to to for interview 

Keeping 

to our interview business. stages mind 

stages The far 

that 

far stages far candidates 

some 

far far far 

of these opportunities that were aren’t brought even advertised to interview online stages far When engaging with us, you will be confident that 

exceeded eeded eded exceeded - and anything only anything certain anything 

exceeded 

we people we had had we know anything 

had experienced 

we had who had 

we has experienced 

had the experienced 

perfect your application is being handled with utmost 

before in in before position in previous in in previous for in you. previous recruitment. 

before in recruitment. 

previous recruitment. attention to your McCormack needs, and Partners we can provide guarantee that 

Dexter Copland 

we will get your a great application service in and front great of the quality decision 

Dexter er Copland 

Dexter Copland 

Copland Managing Director, Topek Southern Ltd 

maker of in candidates. 

any company of your choice. 

Managing Director, Managing Director, Managing Topek Director, Topek Southern Director, Topek Southern Topek Topek Ltd Southern Ltd Ltd Southern Ltd Ltd Ltd 

of of of candidates. 

of McCormack 

of of candidates. 

Partners are experts in 

2. TIME-CONSUMING RECRUITMENT PROCESS 

their field. 

McCormack In business, time is Partners money. Every moment have you spend McCormack Partners are experts in 

TIME-CONSUMING 2. 2. sifting through resumes, scheduling interviews, checking Andy Jackson, 

been 

RECRUITMENT references, recruiting RECRUITMENT and negotiating for 

PROCESS 

salaries, the 

PROCESS 

PROCESS 

is a moment taken 

their their field. 

National 

their field. 

Roofing 

their field. 

Director, 

field. 

Mitie plc 

business, In In time business, time Glaobal time is is money. time is is time money. is Roofing 

away Every is from money. Every moment managing Every industry Every moment your you moment day-to-day you for spend you spend you operations, you spend spend When engaging with us, you 

g sifting ing through sifting through resumes, through resumes, scheduling 

focusing 

resumes, scheduling 

on strategic 

scheduling interviews, planning, 

interviews, interviews, checking 

and driving 

checking 

revenue 

checking Andy Andy 

nearly 10 growth. years now 

Benefits Jackson, 

Andy Andy Jackson, will of using be Jackson, McCormack confident Partners that your 

ences, erences, references, es, and and negotiating and and negotiating and negotiating salaries, salaries, is is a salaries, is a moment a is a is moment a is a taken 

moment taken 

taken taken National National Roofing National Roofing National Director, Roofing Director, Roofing Mitie Mitie Director, Mitie plc Director, Mitie plc plcMitie plcMitie plc 

A lengthy and arduous recruitment process can quickly application Peace of mind in is knowing being your handled team has the with specialist 

away ay m from from away managing from managing from your managing your become your day-to-day your day-to-day a your major headache day-to-day operations, 

operations, 

for you. operations, 

It can leave you knowledge and skill required to deliver quality work 

g focusing on on on strategic on on strategic on planning, strategic feeling planning, overwhelmed, and planning, and driving and driving and stressed, and revenue driving driving and revenue unable revenue to focus on utmost attention to your needs 

the most important aspects of your business. Worse yet, Easier recruitment and training of new staff with 

. 

growth. 

Benefits of using McCormack Partners 

it can lead to missed opportunities, lost revenue, and specialists on board 

recurring problems that could have been avoided if you 

A y lengthy and A and WHO arduous and and arduous and CAN recruitment arduous had recruitment HELP the time recruitment to process ME? devote process to can your can process can core quickly can business quickly can can quickly activities. quickly Increased competitiveness in the market to grow 

your business 

Peace Peace of Peace of mind of Peace of mind of mind knowing of mind knowing your knowing your your team your team team your has has team has the has team the the has specialis the has the ths 

become e a a major a major a a headache major a major headache for headache for for you. for you. for It you. It can for It you. can can It you. leave can It leave can It you can leave you leave you you you knowledge knowledge knowledge and and skill and skill skill and required skill and skill required skill to to required deliver to to deliver to quality deliver to quality deliver work quality 

work 

overwhelmed, feeling g feeling overwhelmed, stressed, stressed, and stressed, and unable and unable and and to unable to focus to unable to focus to on on focus to on focus on on on More effective delegation and management 

of duties 

ost the most important the most important most aspects important aspects of of your aspects of of your your business. of your of business. your Worse business. Worse yet, Worse yet, yet, Worse yet, yet, Easier yet, 

Easier recruitment Easier Easier recruitment recruitment and and training and and training and of of new training of of new staff new of new staff of with staff new with staff with staff 

lead it an can it to lead to can missed to lead to missed lead to opportunities, missed to missed opportunities, lost lost lost revenue, lost lost revenue, lost and 

revenue, and and and and specialists specialists on specialists on on board 

on board on on board board 

g recurring problems problems that problems that could that could that have that could have could have been have been been have avoided been avoided been if if you avoided if you if you if you if you 

McCormack 

the d had e time the had time the time to to the devote time to to devote time to to devote to your to devote to your your core to your core to core business your core business core activities. 

business activities. 

activities. 

Increased Increased competitiveness Increased competitiveness in in the in the in the market the in market the in the to market to grow to market to grow 

to gr to 

your your your business 

your business your business PARTNERS 

Starting a relationship 3. COSTS with OF a BAD recruitment HIRES company 

who is further The along cost in of the hiring research a professional process can seem of steep. But 

your industry than the truth you is, could the cost ever of hiring be can amateur prove can to be even 

higher. 

be a very powerful partner in helping you find the 

position that is A right bad hire for can you. be a nightmare for any business, and it’s 

not just about the cost of recruitment. It’s about the cost 

of everything that comes after. Failure to properly invest 

McCormack Partners in hiring and have onboarding been recruiting can result for in high the turnover 

rates, lost productivity, and decreased morale. 

Global Roofing Industry for nearly 10 years now, 

and with our clients And the screaming expenses add out up quickly, for experienced 

from recruitment and 

training costs, to damage to company culture, a bad hire 

Roofing Professionals can wreak there havoc has on your never bottom been line a and better your brand. 

time to pick up the phone and take the next step in 

The truth is, a bad hire can cost you more than just 

your career. money - it can cost you your reputation. And in today’s 

hyper-connected world, that’s something that no 

business can afford. 

3. COSTS 3. OF COSTS OF OF BAD OF BAD OF HIRES OF BAD BAD HIRES 

HIRES 

As As members As As As members As of members of the of the of the NFRC the of NFRC the of and the NFRC and the NFRC and the the and only the and only the recruitment 

only the only recruitment only company company in company in existence in in existence in in who existence who who recruit who recruit who solely recruit solely recruit in solely in the in the solely in the Roofing the the thR 

&& Cladding & & Cladding & & industry, Cladding industry, we we industry, we pride we pride we pride ourselves we pride ourselves pride on ourselves on on on expertise on our on our ou e 

and and track and track and track record and track record track in record in sourcing record sourcing expert sourcing expert candidates expert expert candidates candidate who 

who who w 

fit fit with fit fit with your with fit with your fit your unique with your unique your company unique unique company profile company profile and profile and profile can and can can and hit-the- 

can and can hit-th can 

McCormack McCormack Partners Partners Partners provide 

provide 

a a great a a great a service great a great service and service and and great and great and quality great great quali 

q 

McCormack McCormack Partners Partners are are experts are are experts in in in in 

Benefits Benefits of of using of of using of using McCormack using McCormack Partners 

Partners 

More More Call effective More us More effective now delegation effective delegation 020 delegation 3633 and and management 

and 6692 

and and management 

The Email: hello@mccormack-partners.com 

cost e The t of cost of The hiring of cost of hiring cost of a a hiring professional a hiring a professional a a professional can can can seem can seem can steep. can seem steep. seem But steep. But But steep. But But But 

of of duties of of duties 

of duties of Only duties Thing You Need To 

Web: mccormack-partners.com 

h the truth is, is, truth the is, the is, truth the cost the is, cost the is, of cost of the hiring of cost of hiring cost of an an hiring of an amateur hiring an an amateur an can can amateur can be can be be even can be even can be even be even even Do Now Is Pick Up The Phone! 

. higher. her. higher. 

Scan the QR 

McCormack 

code to book an 

You 

appointment 

can reach 

with 

our team 

our Managing 

anytime between 

Director, Luke 8.30-6.00 Monday-Friday below: 

d hire A ad bad can A hire can bad can hire be can be hire be a can a nightmare be a can be a nightmare be a a nightmare for for for any any for any business, for any for any business, any and business, and it’s and it’s it’s and it’s and it’s it’s 

ust t not about just not about just the just about the the cost about the cost the of cost of the recruitment. of cost of cost recruitment. of of recruitment. It’s It’s It’s about It’s about It’s the It’s about the the cost about the cost the cost the cost cost 

everything of erything of everything that that comes that comes that that after. comes after. comes after. Failure after. Failure after. to Failure to properly to Failure to properly to to invest 

properly invest 

invest invest Glasgow: 

PARTNERS 

0141 374 

PARTNERS 

2492 

hiring ing g and hiring in and onboarding hiring and and onboarding and onboarding can can can result can result can in can in result high in result in high turnover high in high in turnover high turnover 

With our clients screaming 

Manchester: 0161 327 0792 

lost , rates, lost productivity, rates, lost lost productivity, lost productivity, and and decreased and and decreased and decreased morale. 

morale. 

morale. 

Call Call us Call us us now Call us now 

out for experienced 

London: us us on now on now 020 on 020 on 3633 on 3633 020 3633 6692. 020 3633 6692 

3633 6692 

6692 

the d And e expenses the And the expenses the add expenses add up add up up quickly, add up add up quickly, up from quickly, from from recruitment from recruitment from recruitment and 

and and and and 

Roofing costs, Professionals to there has Email: Email: Email: hello@mccormack-partners.com 

Email: ing g training costs, costs, to to costs, damage to to damage to to to company to to company to culture, culture, a a bad culture, a bad a hire bad a hire bad a hire bad hire hire 

email, hello@mccormack-partners.com 

can wreak never havoc been on a your better time line to take 

Web: Web: Web: Web: n reak can wreak havoc wreak havoc on havoc on on your on your on your bottom your bottom line line line and line and line your and your and your brand. 

your brand. 

your brand. brand. 

the next step in your career 

We look forward to helping you. 

truth e The h truth is, The is, truth a is, a bad is, truth a bad a is, hire bad a is, hire bad can a hire can bad can hire cost can hire cost can you cost can cost more you cost more you than you more than more than just just than just just than just just Scan Scan the Scan the Scan QR the QR the code QR the code QR QR to code to to book code to book to an to book an an book an an an 

y - money - it - it money can it can - can it cost - can it cost - can it you cost can cost your cost your your reputation. your reputation. your reputation. And And in And in today’s in And in today’s And in today’s in today’s appointment appointment with with our with our with Managing our our Managing our Managing 

hyper-connected world, world, that’s world, that’s world, something that’s that’s something something that that no that no no that no that no no Director, Director, Director, Luke Luke McCormack 

Luke Luke McCormack 

business can can can afford. can afford. can can afford. afford.

Total Talks: Brian Mack 

TACKLING TOMORROW’S FIXING 

CHALLENGES TODAY 

We put the questions to Brian Mack, Technical Business Development Manager at 

EJOT UK, discussing the new third-party approval for the much coveted Colorfast range, 

innovation in fixings, and key installation considerations for contractors... 

Total Contractor (TC): Tell us a bit about 

your path into the sector and to your 

current position… 

Brian Mack (BM): I started my career as a 

joiner, then returned to college and went on to 

study Architecture at what is now Birmingham 

City University, before working for several roofing 

and cladding contractors. I joined EJOT just over 

20 years ago as Technical Advisor and have 

progressed to my current position. 

TC: The Colorfast range has been in the 

market for 30+ years. Tell us a bit about 

the range of self-drilling fasteners 

BM: Colorfast integral nylon heads were 

developed to supersede plastic push on caps and 

to enhance the durability and corrosion 

resistance of the fastener component. The need 

to colour match the fastener to the cladding 

colour for aesthetic reasons is paramount, and 

adding the encapsulating of the fastener head 

provides valuable protection from the 

atmosphere. It also protects the washer beneath 

for a valuable performance enhancement to the 

product and the resultant application. 

TC: A big step for EJOT UK and Colorfast is 

the recent third-party certification through 

FM Approval for key products in the range. 

How does this benefit those specifying and 

installing roof and façade systems? 

BM: Promoting the benefits of a product’s 

performance and durability to aid the correct 

selection and specification of products is really 

important. However, third-party reassurance and 

clarification of what is being promoted is actually 

essential in supporting the designer / specifier to 

select the correct product to meet the application 

design criteria. Third-party accreditation 

like FM Approvals gives valuable proof 

based upon independent rigorous 

testing and assessment. And the 

independent audits which are part of the 

approvals process help to maintain the 

production and quality controls to ensure the 

quality of the product and the data provided. 

TC: What was the process like to gain FM 

Approval certification – I imagine quite 

intensive and a significant investment for 

the business? 

BM: The process starts with the fastener being 

assessed and tested to specific test standards, 

ensuring that the product meets the stringent 

requirements that the third party, FM Global, sets. 

Production and quality audits ensure that 

consistency and quality manufacturing 

procedures are followed. The addition of the 

Colorfast approval ensures that the fastener, 

when used with the integral head, meets the 

exacting requirements of the original FM approval 

that we already held for the metal fastener 

product, and maintains the performance aspects 

of the components. 

TC: How does FM Approval differ and 

compare to other certification bodies on 

the market? I understand it will help the 

company in terms of export opportunities? 

BM: The FM Global approach is more exacting 

than that of other product accreditations because 

the whole assembly, for example the composite 

panel, supporting structure and the fastener 

components, require approval. This can be 

achieved by a system test approach or from 

ensuring all the components meet the FM Global 

Left: Brian Mack, Technical Business 

Development Manager at EJOT UK. 

requirements. Many of our products 

have been tested within systems, 

which is reinforced by the product 

now having its own FM approval. The 

global part of the FM Global indicated that the 

approval system has been adopted in many 

countries around the world. So, to export our 

products we have to comply with not just local 

standards, but to international standards backed 

by third party accreditation such as FM Global. 

TC: This move seems to fit nicely with the 

current push to raise standards in terms 

of competence, traceability and ensuring 

the right products and systems are 

utilised on construction projects through 

the Building Safety Act / Building Safety 

Regulator. Do you feel the fixings utilised 

on, for example, sandwich panel systems 

or built-up envelope systems are given 

enough thought by those specifying and 

installing them? 

BM: We are a proactive company, so continuously 

raising our standards is a key aspect of our 

manufacturing philosophy. But we are also 

focused on innovating and investing in R&D to 

meet the challenges of the UK and global markets 

in construction, automotive and industrial 

components. Understanding customer needs and 

providing the support, product data, testing and 

third party accreditation has never been more 

important. At EJOT it’s part of our DNA to provide 

solutions by working collaboratively with our 

customers, and the industry as a whole, to meet 

the exacting needs of an ever changing and 

challenging industry. 


TC: What are some of the most common 

mistakes that contractors / installers make 

when it comes to the fixing aspects of 

projects and ensuring a safe and secure fix? 

BM: The construction industry is changing, and 

today there is a need for compliance but also 

products to meet the required performance 

criteria, not just of the initial installation but 

throughout the life cycle of the building. 

Awareness increasingly runs through the supply 

chain, from installation operatives right through 

to the client. So it is important that we all play our 

part in maintaining and strengthening what is 

now being termed the ‘golden thread’. Third party 

accreditation for even the smallest of 

components, therefore, is essential in delivering 

compliant, sustainable buildings. 

TC: What are some of the key issues and 

innovations you’ve been tackling and 

working on in the APPLITEC R&D facility 

at EJOT? Any interesting bespoke fixing 

solutions you can tell us about? 

BM: There is always a high demand for new, 

innovative and improved products and solutions. 

Our R&D team work closely with OEMs and 

customers across many sectors in both 

construction and industrial industries. By the very 

nature of R&D, confidentiality and any NDAs have 

to be respected, so all we can say is watch this 

space! But readers can contact EJOT if they have 

a challenging project or need a solution to 

enhance their application, or even just to improve 

productivity or performance requirements. 

TC: As highlighted by the Colorfast range, 

there’s already some very innovative 

fastener solutions on the market – what’s 

really driving innovation in terms of fixing 

and fastener solutions within the 

construction sector? 

BM: Materials and systems change to meet the 

demands of an ever changing industry. Demands 

for improved performance, sustainability and 

environmental credentials, together with the drive 

for improved productivity, are just a few of the 

catalysts driving innovation and product 

Above: The Colorfast range of fixing solutions from EJOT. 

improvements. The fastener is a vital contributor 

within a system/application because it connects 

the components together. 

So when refining a system, there is also a need 

for the fastener component to work within the 

design parameters and installation of the system. 

It may be possible to use an existing fastener 

system if testing can prove its performance 

capabilities, but you also have to be ready to 

develop new products to complement and work 

within the system. 

TC: Can you tell us about some of the 

more interesting projects the Colorfast 

range has been used on… 

BM: The vast majority of Colorfast products are 

manufactured in goosewing grey, which is no 

surprise given the nature of many UK and Irish 

building envelopes constructed using coloured 

roofing and cladding sheets, such as in the retail 

and industrial sectors. Many of the more unusual 

orders, however, are often bound for our export 

customers. 

Initially we supplied Colorfast for overseas 

projects on demand, which included a diverse 

range of applications, most notably the British 

Antarctic Survey’s Halley Research Station back 

in 2006. But this is by no means the only 

installation of Colorfast in locations where 

extreme climatic conditions are experienced. 

Exports are growing strongly around the world, with 

recent applications including a cold store facility in 

Trinidad & Tobago, and a number of retail stores 

operated by a major Australian supermarket chain 

where the colour of the screw head has been 

tailored to match the customer’s brand. 

TC: How are you finding the market 

currently – are you fairly positive for the 

next couple of years? 

BM: The construction industry is always a 

challenging and demanding market. Keeping in 

close contact with and listening to the needs of 

the industry, as well as keeping up to date with 

changing legislation, ensures we can continue to 

innovate and apply new technology – and this 

means we can best support our customer base. 

We are always ready to support the industry with 

a positive and progressive attitude. It is 

something we have done so for the past 100+ 

years, and we are determined to continue to 

support and innovate, keeping the company’s 

ethos alive. 

TC: It’s been a busy year for EJOT UK as a 

business, what can customers look forward 

to moving forward, what’s on the horizon? 

BM: Customers can be assured of consistency 

with a range of products that evolve as the 

industry and market changes. As a solutionbased 

company, we pride ourselves on our 

technical expertise and the support we provide 

which has been shaped in a number of ways – 

from the feedback and market intelligence our 

regional sales engineers gain through their 

construction site experiences, the knowledge 

within our Applitec Centre team, and from our 

customer service teams. 

I am also actively involved with the major 

organisations dedicated to continuously 

improving standards and ensuring we, as an 

industry, are able to comply with evolving 

legislation, such as the recently published 

Building Safety Act. Being able to contribute to 

the future of the industry via the NFRC Technical 

Committee, the MCRMA, the CPA (Construction 

Products Association) and the BSI working group 

is invaluable, as it gives us early insights into 

tomorrow’s challenges. 

Contact EJOT UK 

www.ejot.co.uk 

EJOT UK Ltd 


Cladding & Facades Updates 

WRAPTITE ACES SCHOOL TEST 

The A. Proctor Group’s Wraptite external air 

barrier system has been chosen for its 

airtight benefits for the offsite construction of 

Northampton School for Boys Multi-Academy 

Trust, which is a Department for Education 

(DfE) funded project. 

The new project forms part of a full turnkey 

solution provided by Algeco, acting as Principal 

Design and Build Contractor alongside Watson 

Batty Architects. The project includes a total of 

210 modules using Seismic technology, plus a 

hybrid structure for the halls, to create the 1200- 

place new secondary school, including sixth form. 

Utilising Seismic technology for the school 

modules will deliver important benefits; it is 75% 

faster and achieves a 47% improvement in value 

compared to traditional construction techniques. 

It even offers a 33% improvement in speed when 

compared with standard modular construction. 

In terms of sustainability, Seismic delivers 

significant reductions in both operational and 

embodied carbon of up to 70%. This is achieved 

through factors including design efficiency, 

materials selection and manufacturing 

effectiveness, leading to limited wastage. 

A vital element of modern design and construction 

is to maximise energy efficiency. Controlling 

spiralling energy costs is particularly key in 

educational facilities such as schools and colleges. 

The Wraptite air barrier system is a safe and 

simplified membrane system. It provides a fully 

self-adhered vapour permeable air barrier certified 

by the BBA, and combines the critical properties of 

vapour permeability and airtightness. This approach 

saves on both the labour and material costs 

associated with achieving the energy efficiency 

demands in buildings. The self-adhesive design is 

perfectly suited to offsite manufacture, easy and 

quick to apply. Installing Wraptite at a low level 

in the factory enables the membrane to be easily 

applied and avoids the risks of working at height. 

Offsite installation also enables the product to be 

installed in completely dry conditions to ensure 

full adhesion in a quality-controlled environment 

to deliver the required airtightness requirements. 

The product is very durable and provides 

excellent protection in transit and on-site. 

The high vapour permeability of the Wraptite air 

barrier allows the substrate beneath to dry 

quickly and moisture vapour to escape, and 

reduces the likelihood of mould, mildew, 

condensation, timber distortion and metal 

corrosion. www.proctorgroup.com 

SUSTAINABILITY DATA FOCUS FOR GLIDEVALE PROTECT 

Glidevale Protect has published thirdparty, 

independently verified 

Environmental Product Declarations 

(EPDs) for three of its construction wall 

membranes, to help specifiers by 

providing clear sustainability and life 

cycle assessment data. 

Created by One Click LCA and verified by 

the EPD Hub in accordance with EN 

15804+A2 & ISO 14025 / ISO 21930, the 

product and factory specific EPDs do not contain 

average calculations and have been assessed 

cradle to gate with modules A1-A3, C1-C4 and D, 

with the life cycle analysis (LCA) published in 

accordance with the reference standards 

ISO 14040/14044. 

Detailing key environment impact data including 

global warming potential (GWP) calculations, as 

well as total energy and water use, the EPDs form 

a transparent analysis of each product’s carbon 

footprint to give full reassurance in specification. 

The development of EPDs for Protect TF200 

Thermo, Protect VC Foil Ultra, and Protect TF200 

demonstrates Glidevale Protect’s continued 

commitment to, and investment in, sustainability. 

Protect TF200 Thermo is a reflective breather 

membrane for external walls, which can enhance 

thermal performance, and Protect VC Foil Ultra, a 

reflective air and vapour control layer (AVCL), 

offers low emissivity to enhance the thermal 

performance of internal walls, ceilings and 

floors. Both can be used together as a 

system to help maximise the energy 

efficiency rating of a building and control 

condensation risk. Protect TF200 is a high 

performance breather membrane, offering 

protection to external walls and minimising 

the risk of interstitial condensation. 

Detailed EPDs help specifiers to understand 

a product’s sustainability credentials when 

working to more stringent regulations such as 

Building Regulations Part L, as well as whole 

building environmental assessment standards 

like BREEAM. EPDs quantifiably demonstrate the 

environmental impact of a product, and data is 

independently verified and certified in line with 

internationally recognised standards focused on 

the product’s whole life cycle. 

www.glidevaleprotect.com 


LOOKING FOR AN 

ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIER? 

NOW’S THE TIME 

TO TRY DAKEA 

ROOF WINDOWS! 

OUR RANGE OF BENEFITS FOR INSTALLERS 

AND CONTRACTORS HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER. 

Big savings (up to 20%) compared to our competitors 

Free delivery to site with your first order 

No-quibble money back if you’re not 100% happy * 

Unrivalled installation support and aftercare 

*T&C’s apply refer to website 

Find out more at dakea.co.uk/try-dakea 

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

@HiDakea 

Dakea_UK

Knauf Insulation Tech Talk 

THE ON-SITE INSULATION STORAGE 

CHALLENGE 

Whether you’re working on a new build, a redevelopment scheme or a refurbishment 

project, the one thing that many construction sites have in common is limited storage. 

So this month Bradley Hirst, Technical Services Manager at Knauf Insulation, gives his 

three top tips on maximising space and storing insulation. 

1. Look for compression 

makes a difference. For 

packaging 

example, when we 

deliver a load (22 pallets) 

Insulation products are bulky. 

of our OmniFit Slab 35 

But did you know that certain 

(100mm x 600mm), a competitor 

insulation materials can be 

would need to deliver more than two loads (47 

compressed during the packaging process? Unlike 

pallets) of their equivalent low density rock 

rigid boards, mineral wool insulation has a 

mineral wool products. It reduces deliveries to the 

flexible structure that traps air between its 

site and means there are fewer pallets to store. 

strands. As well as giving the insulation its 

thermal and acoustic properties, this inherent 2. Use multi-application products 

flexibility allows it to be compressed. 

Another tip for making the most of the available 

That means you can fit more m 2 of insulation into space is to choose multi-application products 

the pack and onto the pallet. Thanks 

wherever possible. Using our 

to our advanced compression 

OmniFit range as an example again, 

packaging technology, some of our 

there are just two slabs and two 

glass mineral wool products 

rolls in the range, but they can 

compress down to just a tenth of 

insulate ten different applications 

their original size. It means there’s 

including walls, internal partitions, 

less storing and handling on site. 

floors and lofts. The products offer 

thermal performance between 

But it’s on glass mineral wool 

Knauf Insulation’s compression 0.032w/mK and 0.040w/mK, are 

deliveries where compression really 

packaging helps save space non-combustible with the best A1 

Knauf Insulation OmniFit Slab 

Left: Bradley Hirst 

Euroclass reaction to fire classification, 

and exceed the acoustic performance 

requirements of Approved Document E 

(England and Wales). 

As well as meeting the performance requirements 

across the build, using multi-application products 

also means it’s much quicker and easier for your 

team of installers to find the right product for the 

application. 

3. Store it correctly 

Once on-site, mineral wool needs to be stored 

correctly to prevent it from damage. Ideally, it 

should be stored within the building or under 

cover, but if this isn’t possible, it can be kept 

outside and off the ground, provided it is 

protected by a waterproof cover 

Contact Knauf Insulation 

www.knaufinsulation.co.uk 

Knauf Insulation UK & Ireland 

By rationalising their product 

range merchants can make 

the most of storage space. 


DON’T BE 

CONSTRAINED 

BY 100MM CAVITIES 

Building with 150mm wall cavities allows you the 

freedom to choose the best insulation for your project. 

And when energy requirements tighten in 2025, 

you’ll already be ahead of the curve. 

Don’t be constrained by 100mm cavities. 

Stay flexible with 150mm. 

knaufinsulation.co.uk/ 

housebuilders-hub

Fire Safety 

THE IMPORTANCE OF INSPECTING & 

RECORDING YOUR PASSIVE FIRE 

PROTECTION INSTALLATIONS 

By Mike Wyles, Site Services Manager, Siderise Insulation... 

Accurate installation 

is critical to the 

performance of 

passive fire protection 

products, and over the last 

two editions of Total 

Contractor, we have 

explored the ways in which 

contractors can ensure 

that they are not only 

equipped with the right 

knowledge to install these 

life-safety critical 

products, but that they 

have access to 

products that make the 

process as 

straightforward as 

possible. 

Nevertheless, with the 

introduction of the 

Building Safety Act and 

the increasing demand 

for more accountability 

throughout the 

construction process, it’s also important that you 

can both demonstrate and verify the quality of 

your work. One way to do this is by 

taking advantage of free 

manufacturer inspection services. 

How do manufacturer 

inspections work? 

Inspections are a regular 

requirement for many projects, 

particularly on large and complex 

buildings where there may be many 

different considerations. However, if 

Above: In addition to its in-person inspection service, Siderise has developed 

the free Siderise Inspection App.Left: Siderise uses special QR codes on a 

number of its products which link to a BSI UPIN held by BSI in an accessible 

and searchable registry. Below: The app makes it simple to record the progress 

and quality of installation of Siderise standard firestop, cavity barrier and 

acoustic barrier systems before they are concealed. 

a specific passive fire protection 

inspection isn’t considered a necessity, 

some project teams choose to skip this 

service, instead relying on the Building 

Control inspection to verify compliance. 

But this typically takes place after the 

passive fire protection products are concealed 

by the facade, and therefore cannot truly verify 

the passive fire protection installation. 

Therefore, it is important for project 

teams to show due diligence and, 

where available, engage with the free 

inspection services offered by 

passive fire protection 

manufacturers to verify if their 

products have been installed in line 

with their installation guidance, so 

that they will perform as expected in 

the event of a fire. 

For complex or large-scale 

projects, this is typically 

done in-person, with regular 

visits and support from 

trained and experienced site 

services engineers. On 

more standard and 

straightforward projects, 

contractors can also use 

manufacturer-developed 

inspection and recording 

apps. 

Typically, these digital 

inspections are suitable for 

standard systems, allowing 

users to capture images as 

each area/element is 

installed, and to update the 

data input fields using their smartphone or tablet. 

The app then immediately turns this into a 

comprehensive, easy-to-understand report which 

can be reviewed offsite by a technical team to 

ensure the installation meets recommendations, 

and to quickly identify if any areas need remedial 

actions before the works progress further, helping to 

save time and money whilst ensuring a consistently 

accurate installation across the project. 

How can inspections help to support the 

Golden Thread? 

In addition to providing a way for contractors to 

independently verify their competency and ensure 

any passive fire protection measures within the 

building envelope have been installed correctly, 

inspection records can also help to maintain the 

Golden Thread. 


A central requirement of the Building Safety Act is that all duty holders on 

higher risk building projects – including the ‘principal contractor’ and 

‘contractor’ – must keep a ‘Golden Thread’ of information that runs from 

the design phase through construction, to eventual building management. 

Maintained in whatever kind of digital format is suitable for the project, it 

must include everything about the building’s design, safety aspects, and 

management. 

Where a manufacturer inspection has taken place, either by app or inperson, 

the final report can be included in the handover information, 

providing a clear record of exactly what passive fire protection measures 

have been used in the building, and where and how they were installed. 

This helps to maintain that vital ‘Golden Thread’ of product information, 

and will be a useful reference point for any future modifications to the 

project that may affect the building envelope. It can also be submitted as 

part of the evidence required for Gateway 3 to demonstrate that the 

building conforms with the regulatory requirements for firestopping. 

What about product information? 

Digital identification platforms, such as BSI Identify, can also provide a 

straightforward solution for product traceability. Dedicated QR codes are 

added to products, which are linked to BSI UPINs (unique persistent 

identification numbers) applied to every construction product within the 

BSI Identify database. When scanned, the code gives the user rapid 

access to product resources for more information, and all queries about 

the product can be routed back to the manufacturer. 

This ensures that anyone can easily find all the correct product 

information relating to specification, testing, installation, and 

maintenance. In addition to enabling instant access to correct data, it has 

‘real time’ value giving access to information that assists within on-site 

product identification and application, such as installation videos or 

standard details. 

A job well done 

As the people who bring a building to life from design to functional 

construction, contractors are pivotal in not only ensuring the passive fire 

safety of its structure, but also in maintaining that ‘Golden Thread’ of 

information that is so important in delivering a safer built environment, 

both now and long into the future. Partnering with manufacturers who 

offer quality products and systems, supplemented with supportive 

services at every stage of the construction process can be crucial to 

ensuring the highest standards of passive fire safety are achieved on 

every project, and that this can be demonstrated to the client. 

Contact Siderise Insulation 

www.siderise.com 

Siderise Group 

quantum-insulation-ltd 


U-values 

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS 

As Sunny Lotay, National Commercial Manager at PermaRoof Commercial, explains, 

U-values have recently undergone regulatory changes to enhance energy efficiency in 

new builds and renovations – but he says there is still some concern about how these 

are calculated and how best to ensure the right value is given. 

Below, he discusses what contractors need to understand about U-values for both 

commercial and domestic projects. 

U-values determine whether a building 

meets the required energy standards, 

helping drive forward more efficiency and 

bringing down carbon emissions. 

Thermal transmittance - the U-value - is 

measured in units of W/m²K, which stands for 

Watts/meter square Kelvin. This illustrates 

how effective a material is as a heat 

insulator by indicating how quickly it 

will lose heat. The lower the U-value, 

the more efficient the construction is at 

keeping heat flow through the structure to a 

minimum, for instance, a U-value of 0.5 will lose 

heat at double the rate of a 0.25 structure. 

If the U-value is not calculated correctly, the 

impact is a concerning loss of heat, which for 

homeowners and building managers means 

higher fuel bills. Not to mention the negative 

effect this has on sustainable housing and 

commercial properties. 

As experts in the industry of flat roofing, we know 

the difficulties contractors face in trying to meet 

tight budgets and deadlines – but we are also 

aware of the importance of building regulations 

and ensuring these are upheld for our clients and 

customers. 

Contractor compliance 

In 2022, the UK building regulations were 

updated to include revised, lower U-values for 

new builds and renovations – essentially 

requiring thicker insulation. These updates are 

designed to improve the energy efficiency of 

buildings and reduce the carbon footprint. 

Left: Sunny Lotay. 

The new regulations now state the 

walls, floor and the roof all need to meet 

minimum U-value requirements depending 

on the situation and materials used. Part L of the 

building regulations covers the requirements for 

roofing in particular, which specifies that all roofs 

to rooms (except those in unheated buildings) 

must be thermally insulated to a maximum 

U-value of 0.15 W/m²K for new build and 

0.18 W/m²K for refurbishment. 

These changes to Part L for England and Wales 

have been implemented to cut carbon as part of 

the Government’s move towards its target of Zero 

Carbon Ready Homes by 2025. The aim is to 

ensure building practices reflect this shift by 

helping to reduce carbon output for new homes by 

30%, and for other buildings by 27%, when 

compared to the standards in 2013. 

This is because heating and powering buildings in 

the UK accounts for 40% of our total energy 

usage. As a result, increasing the thermal 

performance of all properties is essential for 

reducing the demand for energy, the need for heat 

and power in homes, and for reducing energy bills 

too. 

Calculation and installation 

When calculating the U-value of a flat roof, 

contractors need to consider all areas that 

contribute to thermal performance such as 

screeds, timber, air spaces, and plasterboard. 

Many insulation manufacturers have useful 

U-value calculators for an approximate figure. 

But in practice, this can only be backed up 

through correct installation. 

If insulation is fitted poorly, with gaps and cold 

bridges, then the U-value can be considerably 

higher than desired, no matter how good the 

individual products are. 

When installing a flat roof, suitable insulation is 

required to minimise heat losses in the winter 

and control excessive solar gains in the summer. 

This will help to conserve energy and ensure 

thermal comfort is maintained within the 

building. Without appropriate flat roof insulation, 

the project will not pass building regulations. 

Furthermore, speaking to the right people and 

utilising expertise when needed will ensure the 

installation achieves the best results. Whether 

you are a contractor, homeowner or commercial 

property owner, it is crucial to get the right advice 

from reputable suppliers to avoid being mis-sold 

or misinformed. PermaRoof has a team of 

registered installers nationwide to provide 

guidance to contractors on projects. 

Contact PermaRoof 

www.permaroof.co.uk 

PermaGroup 


FORMULA 

HIGH PERFORMANCE MARKETING 

PURPOSE.PLAN.EXECUTE 

THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY MARKETING MACHINE 

CONTACT PURPLEX TODAY ON 

020 3137 9319 | grow@purplexmarketing.com 

www.purplexmarketing.com 

#FORMULAP

Updates 


CCPI VERIFICATION FOR RECTICEL’S EUROTHANE GP 

Recticel Insulation has announced that its 

Eurothane GP PIR board has become one of 

the first UK construction products to receive 

Code for Construction Product Information 

(CCPI) accreditation. 

The verification helps product users to be 

assured data associated with Eurothane GP is 

accurate, up-to-date, clear, accessible and 

unambiguous. This information is crucial in 

assisting customers to make more informed 

decisions in respect of product specification. It 

will also help improve building standards due to 

products being used safely and appropriately. 

Paul Simpson, Commercial Director UK & Ireland 

at Recticel, said: “The CCPI accreditation for our 

product set is extremely good news. We have long 

been advocates for more clarity with respect to 

building product information. It will have 

beneficial ramifications throughout the building 

supply chain and hopefully lead to more buildings 

being constructed as designed.” 

Initiated by the Construction Products 

Association’s (CPA) Marketing Integrity Group 

following industry-wide consultation, CCPI aligns 

with Dame Judith Hackitt’s call for a ‘golden 

thread’ of information as part of her post-Grenfell 

report into the fire safety of buildings. 

Dame Judith addressed manufacturers including 

Recticel at a CCPI Assessment and Verification 

event held in London to highlight the first 

products to achieve Code accreditation. 

Paul continued: “It was an honour to be invited to 

attend the CCPI Verification event along with 

other key stakeholders who share our 

commitment to higher building standards. CCPI 

accreditation should be the aim of all 

construction product manufacturers. It helps to 

support confidence in a product’s performance 

while providing users with access to verified, 

relevant knowledge to help them build better, 

safer and smarter.” 

Suitable for multiple applications including floors, 

pitched roofs and timber framed walls, Eurothane 

GP demonstrates a good thermal performance of 

0.022 W/mK. This, in conjunction with its 

lightweight, easy-handling properties, makes it an 

ideal solution for contractors, installers and end 

users, the company says. 

www.recticelinsulation.com/en-gb/eurothanegp 

CCF & KNAUF INSULATION HOST PART L ROUNDTABLE 

Showing a strong commitment to both 

sustainability and supply chain collaboration, 

leading insulation, drywall and ceiling product 

distributor CCF joined forces with Knauf 

Insulation to identify some of the most 

common issues surrounding meeting Part L 

and achieving lower U-values, to understand 

how best to support customers through 

changing regulations. 

As the year-long transition period for the new 

Part L regulations has come to an end, and with 

the introduction of the planned Future Homes 

Standard less than two years away, the two 

companies came together to discuss the 

important roles that both product manufacturers 

and distributors have to play in supporting the 

industry to be able to deliver the energy efficient 

homes of the future. With both companies 

providing their own unique perspective, technical 

insight and practical suggestions, it was an 

excellent example of supply chain collaboration at 

its best, and the discussion was recorded so that 

customers can access this resource at their 

convenience. 

Representatives from both companies’ sales and 

technical teams met to primarily discuss the 

implications of Part L. The teams also shared 

suggestions of the practical steps both product 

manufacturers and distributors could take to 

make the process of navigating regulation 

changes easier for housebuilders, and how to 

engage with customers as early as possible. The 

companies say the two-hour session could easily 

have been longer with so much to discuss and so 

many insightful points raised by the team, 

touching on the skills shortage, competence 

issues, as well as how to bridge the performance 

gap through product training. 

Jolyon Berg, Head of Technical at CCF, 

commented: “One of the themes raised time and 

again is collaboration. If we’re to adapt to 

changing regulations in order to build homes fit 

for the future, then effective supply chain 

collaboration has never been more important. 

Open and honest conversations like this with 

input from different stakeholders is a vital part of 

this collaborative approach, and I’m proud that 

CCF is playing its part in such constructive 

conversations.” 

www.ccfltd.co.uk 

View the roundtable discussion at: 

www.roof-tube.co.uk 


Workwear Choices 

POOR QUALITY WORKWEAR – THE 

NEW ‘FAST FASHION’ 

Peter Dumigan, Managing Director of the Hultafors Group UK, which owns Snickers 

Workwear, Solid Gear safety footwear, as well as Hellberg Safety PPE, explains why 

roofers must avoid poor quality workwear and invest in good quality, sustainable working 

clothes to help protect the environment. 

While many of us might think 

that donating our used 

clothing to charity shops or 

putting them in collection banks is 

doing somebody a favour, it’s not 

always a particularly charitable deed 

given that many clothes are so 

cheaply made that they cannot be 

reused or properly recycled. 

The BBC reported that one of the 

dumping grounds for our unwanted 

clothing is the rapidly growing ‘Fast 

Fashion’ graveyard in Chile’s Atacama 

desert. Traders in Chile import unwanted clothes 

of all types mainly from Europe and the US, to 

resell both locally and to other Latin American 

nations. But more than half of the 60,000 tonnes 

of clothes imported into Chile each year ends up 

in illegal desert landfills, with dire consequences 

for the environment and the local communities. 

Sadly, it’s typical of an all too familiar story in our 

‘throw-away’ culture – how the demand for Fast 

Fashion is contributing to long-term waste and 

seriously impacting the environment. As the Daily 

Mirror has more recently reported, Britain’s love 

of ‘Fast Fashion’ is fuelling an environmental 

catastrophe in Ghana’s capital which has a toxic 

mountain of ditched clothing rotting on a beach. 

The Mirror identified that unsold used clothing in 

the UK is sold to textile merchants, going on to 

say that while some of the lowest quality items 

may be recycled for mattress stuffing, underlay or 

cleaning rags, large numbers of garments pass 

through international networks and are dumped 

as waste. 

While it’s a relatively new buzzword to some, Fast 

Fashion is certainly at the heart of the 

sustainability debate in the clothing industry. As 

far as protective wear is concerned and, 

especially given its short lifecycle, poorer quality 

and throwaway working clothes are effectively 

becoming a new kind of Fast Workwear. 

Fast Fashion is cheap clothing produced to satisfy 

a short-term mass-market demand. That’s 

precisely what Fast Workwear – cheap, poorer 

quality protective wear – does. It fulfils a demand 

for low-cost workwear satisfying a conscious 

buying decision and a desire for cheaper 

products. Consumers believe they are investing in 

a cost-effective solution and saving themselves 

money. But cheap protective wear comes with a 

hidden cost – because of its short life cycle it’s 

not sustainable and our environment is starting to 

pay the price. 

So just how big is the throw-away 

clothing problem in the UK? It’s said 

that each Briton owns an average of 

115 garments and that the UK is the 

fourth largest textile-waster in 

Europe. In 2018, £12.5 billion worth 

of the UK’s clothes went to landfill. 

Sadly, most consumers are blissfully 

unaware that the clothing industry is 

resource intensive. Globally, the Fast 

Fashion industry uses 1.5 trillion 

tonnes of water each year and, given 

the volume of chemicals used in the 

manufacturing processes, it is the 

second biggest polluter of water supplies, and 

also responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide 

emissions. What’s more, these figures are not 

about to start decreasing given that the demand 

for raw materials in the industry is expected to 

triple by 2050. 

A result of Fast Fashion: 

Piles of waste clothing. 

Pioneering sustainable practices 

The leading protective wear brands are beginning 

to think carefully about sustainability by 

considering the processes and resources required 

to make clothing. They are also advocating buying 

better-quality garments that will last longer, as 

well as incorporating recycled fibres into their 

fabric and garment materials technology, thereby 

reducing our carbon footprint. 

For the likes of the Hultafors Group, and in 

particular its protective wear brand Snickers 

Workwear, the transition to adopting sustainable 

business practices and product development is a 

priority. Sadly, the linear business principle followed 

Continued on page 56 


PINPOINT 

80,000 

NEW CUSTOMERS 

Access the most accurate UK database of glazing 

and construction prospects, with live updates on 

business, finance, and contact information for: 

WINDOW/DOOR FABRICATORS & INSTALLERS 

BUILDERS & CONSTRUCTION FIRMS 

ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS 

BUILDERS MERCHANTS 

Identify, locate, and win new customers today! 

01934 808 293 

hello@insightdata.co.uk 

insightdata.co.uk 

SCAN ME

Workwear Choices 

Continued from page 54 

by some cheaper workwear brands is a 'take, make, 

dispose' practice for producing cheap clothing. Once 

those garments have reached the end of their 

useful life, wearers dispose of them, without any 

real consideration for environmental impact. 

Snickers Workwear’s philosophy is to 'Reduce, 

Reuse, Recycle'. This approach involves reducing 

the resources used during a garment’s 

production; turning waste into workwear by 

incorporating recycled fibres into its garment 

materials technology; and developing harderwearing 

workwear using sustainable fabrics to 

keep the garments in effective use for as long as 

possible. 

Snickers Workwear’s vision is to be at the 

forefront of sustainable workwear by using 

smarter solutions and technologies that include 

sourcing the highest quality, most hard-wearing 

products in its clothing ranges, with as little 

environmental impact as possible. Some of the 

steps the brand is taking to improve its 

environmental performance includes: 

• Prioritising the use of materials of the highest 

quality to make garments last longer, replacing 

conventional materials with more sustainable 

alternatives. 

• Prioritising Preferred Fibres – such as 

REPREVE and SORONA – those that have more 

sustainable properties in comparison to 

conventional options. 

• Recycling man-made materials such as nylon 

and polyester fabrics to create new, Preferred 

Fibres. 

• Ensuring that Preferred Fibres deliver high 

levels of durability and comfort to ensure a long 

product lifetime – the key to reducing waste. 

• Using materials that can easily be recycled to 

create new raw material with the same 

performance level as the original virgin material. 

• Driving demand for Better Cotton, an initiative 

which positively impacts farmers and the 

environment. 

Sustainable product development and the initiative for 

turning Waste into Workwear is being applied to every new 

product in the Snickers Workwear collection. 

“Cheap protective wear 

comes with a hidden 

cost – because of its 

short life cycle it’s not 

sustainable and our 

environment is starting 

to pay the price” 

• Committing to conscious cotton choices – in 

2022 an impressive 65% (846 Metric Tonnes), of 

Snickers Workwear’s total cotton uptake was 

sourced as Better Cotton. 

• Using more sustainable colouring processes 

that significantly reduces water, chemicals and 

energy use – commonly referred to as dope dye. 

• Using ‘Mulesing-Free’ Merino Wool to prevent 

animal cruelty. 

How can you make a difference? 

As workwear manufacturers navigate the complex 

and challenging transition to more sustainable 

business models, you can support them by asking 

how sustainable the garments that you’re buying 

actually are. Also, by choosing those brands that 

are committed to improving sustainability. Things 

you can do include: 

• Avoid Fast Workwear and cheap protective 

wear products. 

• Invest in better quality workwear – select 

products that are built to last and that can be 

kept in use as long as possible. 

• Identify workwear brands who are extending 

the lifespan of their workwear. 

Finally… 

Increasing levels of awareness about the impact 

of waste on our environment will surely have an 

impact on the clothes people choose for working 

on site in years to come. 

For Snickers Workwear, sustainable product 

development and the initiative for turning Waste 

into Workwear is being applied to every new 

product in the Snickers Workwear collection. It 

brings additional assurance that the Snickers 

Workwear Hallmarks of design, comfort, 

functionality, durability and now sustainability will 

not be compromised in any way. 

Snickers Workwear’s objective is to ensure that 

by 2030, 70% of the fabrics it uses are Preferred 

Fibres – those with sustainable properties and a 

lower environmental footprint. The target for 2023 

– that the company will be at 40% has already 

been reached – a significant achievement by any 

measure. It’s a process that will deliver full 

manufacturing transparency and garment lifecycle 

traceability, thus reducing our climate impact and 

preventing Fast Workwear from going into landfill. 

Sustainable garment manufacturing aligned with 

well-informed buying decisions will play a 

significant part in helping us to achieve our 

climate goals and securing the health of the 

planet for future generations. But we must make 

conscious decisions to be successful in 

accelerating positive change. 

As the Voice of the Daily Mirror recently said: ‘We 

are what we wear to some extent and paying a little 

more – even in a cost of living crisis – for clothes 

we’ll keep longer and wear more often would be a 

cultural change that would benefit the earth’. 

Find out more about Snickers Workwear 

www.snickersworkwear.co.uk 

Email: sales@hultaforsgroup.co.uk 


34122 

PRICE CUT 

NOW FROM ONLY 

£ 

225 exc.VAT 

.00 

£270.00 inc.VAT 

WAS £286.80 inc.VAT 

ALSO 

PG3800A 

GENERATORS 

HYUNDAI DIESEL 

* with 

GENERATORS UP TO 125KVA wheels 

exc. WAS inc. 

Model 

PG2500A 

Volts 

230 

KVA HP VAT inc.VAT VAT 

2.2 5.6 £219.00 £270.00 £262.80 

PG3800A 230 3 5.6 £269.00 £346.80 £322.80 

PG3800ADV 230/110 3 5.6 £299.00 £370.80 £358.80 

PG6500ADVES* 230/110 5.5 9.7 £539.00 £658.80 £646.80 

FROM ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

42 DOUBLE exc.VAT 

.99 

£51.59 FOOTER inc.VAT 

ELECTRIC HEATERS 

CON850B RECIPROCATING 

SAW (230V) 

ABRASIVE 

CUT-OFF 

SAWS 

Cuts 

ferrous 

metals up to 

100mm dia 

AVAILABLE IN 

230 

& 

110 

VOLT 

PETROL DUMPER TRUCK 

4 WHEEL DRIVE 

6.5HP 

65 

SUPERSTORES 

NATIONWIDE 

Britain’s Tools & Machinery Specialist 

NEW 

492 PAGE 

CATALOGUE 

GET YOUR 

FREE COPY! 

• 

IN-STORE 

• ONLINE • PHONE 

0844 880 1265 

CEMENT 

MIXERS 

DEVIL 

DEVIL 

7003 

2850 

VOLT- HEAT exc. WAS inc. 

MODEL AGE OUTPUT VAT inc.VAT VAT 

DEVIL 2850 230V 2.8kW £42.99 – £51.59 

DEVIL 7003 230V 3kW £67.99 £83.98 £81.59 

DEVIL 7005 400V 5kW £89.98 £117.59 £107.98 

DEVIL 7009 400V 9kW £149.98 – £179.98 

DEVIL 7015 400V 15kW £219.98 – £263.98 

INVERTER 

GENERATORS 

1700W 

PRICE CUT 

£ NOW FROM 

379 exc.VAT 

.00 

£454.80 inc.VAT 


ELECTRIC 

TILE CUTTERS 

ETC8 

£ FROM ONLY 


.00 

DOUBLE £310.80 FOOTER inc.VAT 

IG1700F 

3400W 

IG3500AF 

Max 

Model Output Sockets Weight exc. inc. 

kg VAT VAT 

IG1700F 1700W 2 22 £259.00 £310.80 

IG3500AF 3400W 2 35 £379.00 £454.80 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

49 .98 exc.VAT 

DOUBLE £59.98 inc.VAT FOOTER 

TURBO AIR 

COMPRESSORS 

Superb range ideal for DIY, 

hobby & semi-professional use 

FROM ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

119 exc.VAT 

.98 


TIGER 

16/1050 

Model Motor CFM Tank exc.VAT inc.VAT 

8/260 2HP 7 24ltr £119.98 £143.98 

11/550 2.5HP 9.3 50ltr £179.98 £215.98 

16/550 3HP 14.5 50ltr £249.00 £298.80 

16/1050 3HP 14.5 100ltr £309.00 £370.80 

DEMOLITION 

HAMMER 

CON1500DD 

£ FROM ONLY 

109 DOUBLE 

.00 exc.VAT 


DRILL 

PRESSES 

Range of precision 

bench & fl oor 

presses for 

enthusiast, 

engineering & 

industrial 

applications 

B = Bench 

mounted 

F = Floor 

standing 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 



CON750 JIGSAW 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 


.99 


FROM ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

99 .95 EXC.VAT 


* WAS £251.98 inc.VAT 

BARNSLEY Pontefract Rd, Barnsley, S71 1EZ 01226 732297 

B’HAM GREAT BARR 4 Birmingham Rd. 0121 358 7977 

B’HAM HAY MILLS 1152 Coventry Rd, Hay Mills 0121 7713433 

BOLTON 1 Thynne St. BL3 6BD 01204 365799 

BRADFORD 105-107 Manningham Lane. BD1 3BN 01274 390962 

BRIGHTON 123 Lewes Rd, BN2 3QB 01273 915999 

BRISTOL 1-3 Church Rd, Lawrence Hill. BS5 9JJ 0117 935 1060 

BURTON UPON TRENT 12a Lichfield St. DE14 3QZ 01283 564 708 

CAMBRIDGE 181-183 Histon Road, Cambridge. CB4 3HL 01223 322675 

CARDIFF 44-46 City Rd. CF24 3DN 029 2046 5424 

CARLISLE 85 London Rd. CA1 2LG 01228 591666 

CHELTENHAM 84 Fairview Road. GL52 2EH 01242 514 402 

CHESTER 43-45 St. James Street. CH1 3EY 01244 311258 

COLCHESTER 4 North Station Rd. CO1 1RE 01206 762831 

COVENTRY Bishop St. CV1 1HT 024 7622 4227 

CROYDON 423-427 Brighton Rd, Sth Croydon 020 8763 0640 

DARLINGTON 214 Northgate. DL1 1RB 01325 380 841 

DEAL (KENT) 182-186 High St. CT14 6BQ 01304 373 434 

DERBY Derwent St. DE1 2ED 01332 290 931 

DONCASTER Wheatley Hall Road 01302 245 999 

DUNDEE 24-26 Trades Lane. DD1 3ET 01382 225 140 

EDINBURGH 163-171 Piersfield Terrace 0131 659 5919 

BELT 

SANDERS 

CBS2 

CDP102B 

Motor (W) 

Speeds exc.VAT inc.VAT 

model 

CDP5EB 350 / 5 £99.95 £119.94 

CDP102B 350 / 5 £115.95 £139.14 

CDP152B* 450 / 12 £209.00 £250.80 

CDP352F 550 / 16 £339.00 £406.80 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

159 EXC.VAT 

.98 


DRYWALL SANDERS 

DWS225LR 

DUST 

EXTRACTION 

OUTLET 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 



AVAILABLE IN 

230 

& 

110 

VOLT 

Ideal for dry sanding 

& smoothing hard to 

reach areas 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

139 .00 exc.VAT 


CONSN18LIC 

18V LI-ION 

STAPLER/NAILER 

WITH 1X2.0AH 

BATTERY 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

129 EXC.VAT 

.98 


ABRASIVE SANDING 

BELTS IN STOCK 

Ideal for use with concrete, 

stone, granite,brick,fence 

post footing etc Inc. 

pointed chisel, fl at chisel & 

carry case 

ELECTRIC 

COMPACTOR PLATE 

400x320mm 

230 

VOLT 

HULK 

HEAVY DUTY 

SUB PUMPS 

FROM ONLY 

• Auto 

ON/OFF 

fl oat 

switch 

BEST 

SELLER 

*Pumps solids 

up to 30mm 

diameter 

PRICE CUT 

£ NOW FROM 

189 exc.VAT 

.99 

£227.99 inc.VAT 


£ DOUBLE 

46 DOUBLE EXC.VAT 

.99 


23KG 

PSV1A HIPPO 2 

Max Flow Max 

Model LPM Head exc.VAT inc.VAT 

CSE400A 115 8.0m £46.99 £56.39 

PSV3A 133 8.0m £49.98 £59.98 

PSV1A* 140 5.8m £59.98 £71.98 

HIPPO 2 (230V) 85 6.0m £69.98 £83.98 

PSP125B 116 7m £73.98 £88.78 

PSV5A 217 8m £69.98 £83.98 

EXETER 16 Trusham Rd. EX2 8QG 01392 256 744 

GATESHEAD 50 Lobley Hill Rd. NE8 4YJ 0191 493 2520 

GLASGOW 280 Gt Western Rd. G4 9EJ 0141 332 9231 

GLOUCESTER 221A Barton St. GL1 4HY 01452 417 948 

GRIMSBY ELLIS WAY, DN32 9BD 01472 354435 

HULL 8-10 Holderness Rd. HU9 1EG 01482 223161 

ILFORD 746-748 Eastern Ave. IG2 7HU 0208 518 4286 

IPSWICH Unit 1 Ipswich Trade Centre, Commercial Road 01473 221253 

LEEDS 227-229 Kirkstall Rd. LS4 2AS 0113 231 0400 

LEICESTER 69 Melton Rd. LE4 6PN 0116 261 0688 

LINCOLN Unit 5. The Pelham Centre. LN5 8HG 01522 543 036 

LIVERPOOL 80-88 London Rd. L3 5NF 0151 709 4484 

LONDON CATFORD 289/291 Southend Lane SE6 3RS 0208 695 5684 

LONDON 6 Kendal Parade, Edmonton N18 020 8803 0861 

LONDON 503-507 Lea Bridge Rd. Leyton, E10 020 8558 8284 

LUTON Unit 1, 326 Dunstable Rd, Luton LU4 8JS 01582 728 063 

MAIDSTONE 57 Upper Stone St. ME15 6HE 01622 769 572 

MANCHESTER ALTRINCHAM 71 Manchester Rd. Altrincham 0161 9412 666 

MANCHESTER CENTRAL 209 Bury New Road M8 8DU 0161 241 1851 

MANCHESTER OPENSHAW Unit 5, Tower Mill, Ashton Old Rd 0161 223 8376 

MANSFIELD 169 Chesterfield Rd. South 01623 622160 

MIDDLESBROUGH Mandale Triangle, Thornaby 01642 677881 

BIG 

125LTR 

bucket 

3 forward gears with reverse Narrow 

760mm width, fi ts through most doorways 

ROTARY 

HAMMER 

DRILLS 

Powerful 

heavy duty 

professional 

BIG 16" ALL 

TERRAIN TYRES 

PRICE CUT 

CDT300 £ DOUBLE 

1199 exc.VAT 

.00 

£1438.80 inc.VAT 


SDS 

+ 

300 

KG 

CON1500RDV 

drill ideal 

PRICE CUT NOW 

for trade FROM ONLY 

use £ 


£77.99 inc.VAT 

WAS £80.39 inc.VAT # WAS £111.58 inc.VAT 

Power Cap. 

Model (W) (mm) exc.VAT inc.VAT 

CRD1100 1100 13-40 £64.99 £77.99 

CON1200RD 1200 13-40 £79.98 £95.98 

CON720RHD# 720 13-40 £89.98 £107.98 

CON1500RDV 1500 13-40 £99.98 £119.98 

8" SLIDING 

COMPOUND 

MITRE SAW 

• 2000W motor 

• Laser Guide 

PRICE CUT 

£ DOUBLE 

159 .00 exc.VAT 

£190.80 inc.VAT 


CMS216S 

PRO TOOL CHESTS 

& CABINETS 

FROM ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 

89 DOUBLE EXC.VAT 

.98 


The 

ultimate 

in tool 

storage 

WAS 

inc.VAT inc.VAT 

Model Description exc.VAT 

CTC900C 9 dr chest £89.98 – £107.98 

CTC500C 5 dr cabinet £149.98 – £179.98 

CBB209C 9 dr chest £154.99 £191.98 £185.99 

CTC700C 7 dr cabinet £169.98 – £203.98 

CTC1300C 13 dr set £189.98 £239.98 £227.98 

CBB217C 7 dr cabinet £279.00 £346.80 £334.80 

VISIT YOUR LOCAL SUPERSTORE Open Mon-Fri 8.30-6.00, Sat 8.30-5.30, Sun 10.00-4.00 

NORWICH 282a Heigham St. NR2 4LZ 01603 766402 

NORTHAMPTON Beckett Retail Park, St James’ Mill Rd 01604 267840 

NOTTINGHAM 211 Lower Parliament St. 0115 956 1811 

PETERBOROUGH 417 Lincoln Rd. Millfield 01733 311770 

PLYMOUTH 58-64 Embankment Rd. PL4 9HY 01752 254050 

POOLE 137-139 Bournemouth Rd. Parkstone 01202 717913 

PORTSMOUTH 277-283 Copnor Rd. Copnor 023 9265 4777 

PRESTON 53 Blackpool Rd. PR2 6BU 01772 703263 

SHEFFIELD 453 London Rd. Heeley. S2 4HJ 0114 258 0831 

SIDCUP 13 Blackfen Parade, Blackfen Rd 0208 3042069 

SOUTHAMPTON 516-518 Portswood Rd. 023 8055 7788 

SOUTHEND 1139-1141 London Rd. Leigh on Sea 01702 483 742 

STOKE-ON-TRENT 382-396 Waterloo Rd. Hanley 01782 287321 

SUNDERLAND 13-15 Ryhope Rd. Grangetown 0191 510 8773 

SWANSEA 7 Samlet Rd. Llansamlet. SA7 9AG 01792 792969 

SWINDON 21 Victoria Rd. SN1 3AW 01793 491717 

TWICKENHAM 83-85 Heath Rd.TW1 4AW 020 8892 9117 

WARRINGTON Unit 3, Hawley’s Trade Pk. 01925 630 937 

WIGAN 2 Harrison Street, WN5 9AU 01942 323 785 

WOLVERHAMPTON Parkfield Rd. Bilston 01902 494186 

WORCESTER 48a Upper Tything. WR1 1JZ 01905 723451 

CCM125D 

PROFESSIONAL 

ROUTER 

• Plunge depth 

up to 66mm 

• Variable 

speed 

• Inc. 1 /4", 

3/8" & 1 /2" 

collets 

FROM ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 


.98 


INC. DISC 

& HANDLE 

GARAGES/ 

WORKSHOPS 

CR4 

ONLY 

£ DOUBLE 



ANGLE GRINDERS 

CON1150 

# WAS £87.59 inc.VAT 

Model Disc (mm) Motor exc.VAT inc.VAT 

CAG800B 115 800W £29.98 £35.98 

CON1150* 115 1150W £36.99 £44.39 

CAG2350C# 230 2350W £69.98 £83.98 

WET 

& DRY 

VACUUM 

CLEANERS 

Compact, high 

performance wet & dry 

vacuum cleaners for 

use around the home, 

workshop, garage etc. 

PRICE CUT 

NOW FROM ONLY 

£ 

249 exc.VAT 

.00 

£298.80 inc.VAT 


PRICE CUT 

NOW ONLY 

£ 

209 exc.VAT 

.98 

£251.98 inc.VAT 


BRIGHT WHITE INTERIOR 

* WAS £45.59 inc.VAT 

PRICE CUT 

£ DOUBLE 

59 exc.VAT 

.98 

£71.98 inc.VAT 


CVAC20P 

IDEAL FOR RAIN & 

SUN PROTECTION 

LENGTH 

UP TO 

40' 

Model 

size (LxWxH) 

m exc.VAT 

WAS 

inc.VAT 

NOW 

inc.VAT 

CIG81212 3.6 x 3.6 x 2.5 £249.00 £310.80 £298.80 

CIG81015 4.5 x 3 x 2.4 £279.00 – £334.80 

CIG81216 4.9 x 3.7 x 2.5 £329.00 – £394.80 

CIG81020 6.1 x 3 x 2.4 £349.00 – £418.80 

CIG81220 6.1 x 3.7 x 2.5 £399.00 – £478.80 

CIG81224 7.3 x 3.7 x 2.5 £499.00 – £598.80 

CIG1432 9.7x4.3x3.65 £1099.00 – £1318.80 

CIG1640 12x4.9x4.3 £2599.00 £3478.80 £3118.80 

5 EASY WAYS 

TO BUY... 

SUPERSTORES 

SUPERSTORES NATIONWIDE 

ONLINE 

www.machinemart.co.uk 

TELESALES 

0115 956 5555 

CLICK & COLLECT 

OVER 10,500 LOCATIONS 

CALL & COLLECT 

AT STORES TODAY 

Calls to the catalogue request number above (0844 880 1265) cost 7p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge. For security reasons, calls may be monitored. All prices correct 

at time of going to press. We reserve the right to change products and prices at any time. Check online for latest prices. All offers subject to availability, E&OE. * Terms & conditions apply see machinemart.co.uk/finance for more details

Updates 


BE SEEN TO BE SAFE ON SITE 

When worksite visibility decreases, the risk of 

accidents increases. 

That’s why you need properly certified, hardworking 

High-Vis clothing to make you easier to 

spot on site. Especially in dim, dark and variable 

light conditions in winter. 

Snickers Workwear’s extensive range of High-Vis 

working clothes suits a wide range of work 

environments from construction and engineering, 

to handling and logistics; from professional 

trades, to lighter manual work. 

There’s Jackets, Trousers, Shorts, Toolvests, 

Shirts and Fleeces in the LITEWork, FLEXIWork 

AllroundWork and ProtecWork families – a host of 

different garments to satisfy the specific 

requirements of Classes 1, 2 and 3 protection 

levels. 

All these 'outstanding' products are integral parts 

of every man and woman’s PPE package. 

Combining Snickers Workwear’s unrivalled 

hallmarks of functionality and comfort, they also 

meet requirements of the EN20471 standard for 

high visibility warning clothes. 

https://www.snickersworkwear.com/list/produ 

ct-guide/make-yourself-seen 

MAKITA NAILS IT WITH NEW OFFERING 

Makita has launched its first cordless air compressor, offering a powerful, portable solution for interior 

nailing applications. 

Operating at only 68 decibels, this lightweight and compact machine can drive up to 700 finish nails using a fully charged 

4.0Ah 40VMax XGT battery, and up to 1,400 finish nails using a fully charged 8.0Ah 40VMax XGT battery. With a tank 

capacity of up to 7.6 litres and a maximum tank pressure of 9.3bar, the new AC001G 40VMax XGT Brushless Air 

Compressor reaches full pressure within just two minutes, and is capable of moving 34 litres of air per minute at a pressure 

of up to 134 PSI, and the pressure can be adjusted to suit various pneumatic fixing machines. Ideal for interior timber fixing applications, such as panelling or 

wood trimming with 16Ga, 18Ga or 23Ga nailers or pneumatic staplers, this versatile machine can also be used for light garage tasks, inflating, blowing and 

pressure testing. Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita, said: “We are excited to launch the AC001G, our first cordless, 40VMax air compressor, which 

offers market leading design and performance. This workhorse is part of our expanding XGT platform, so the battery can be used with over 100 products in the 

range, making it easy to switch between tasks quickly and easily.” https://www.makitauk.com/products/cordless-tools-xgt-40v-40vx2 

PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD 

Brave the elements with confidence, even on the chilliest building sites, with the Carhartt Wylie Rugged 

Flex Waterproof S3 Safety Boots (F705159). These boots are not just any footwear; they can withstand the 

harshest conditions, promising dry, secure and toasty feet all day long. 

Certified to the exacting S3 standard, the Wylie boots have an aluminium toe and a versatile dual density 

injection outsole. Clamber up ladder rungs, tackle cement floors and conquer uneven terrain with unwavering traction. The cushioning system, complete 

with an ABS shock absorber, reduces fatigue and keeps you firm on your feet for longer. The Wylie Waterproof boots also incorporate Carhartt’s Storm 

Defender technology; no matter how unrelenting the weather, your feet will stay comfortably dry. Rugged Flex technology ensures a free range of motion, 

while a breathable mesh lining keeps your feet fresh. The Vibram sole unit gives you high performance, good traction and abrasion resistance. Made 

from hydro-treated full grain leather, these boots come in a wide fit design for extra comfort. When it comes to conquering tough conditions, the Carhartt 

Wylie Rugged Flex Waterproof S3 Safety Boots are your ultimate ally. 

www.carhartt.com 


#WGRD2021: Get involved! 

News, views and projects 

GREENSCAPE 

MAGAZINE 

In collaboration with 

the Green Roof 

Organisation. 

If you supply green 

roofing products to 

the green roof market, 

Greenscape is the 

magazine for you! 

Get your marketing 

message in front of over 

5,000 professionals who 

specify/purchase green 

roofing products 

GREENSCAPE 

Ensuring Best Practice for Green Roof & Solar PV Projects 

Updated GRO Code 

MAGAZINE 

SPRING 2021 

Green Roof Myths 

For advertising 

opportunities contact 

Andy Dunn 

07963 330777 

Green Talk Q&A 

In collaboration with the Green Roof Organisation 

01_GS0421 1 16/04/2021 17:07 

From the publishers of

WITH SIDERISE ® 

Global experts in passive fire protection 

At Siderise ® , we believe that when it comes to fire safety, 

doing ‘just enough’ is never enough. 

As global experts in passive fire protection, we dedicate ourselves to 

delivering products, systems, and services with integrity that Go Beyond ® . 

Through our dedication to robust testing and our investment in nurturing 

technical excellence, we are equipping design and construction teams all 

over the world with the cutting-edge tools and solutions they need 

to Go Beyond to create a safer built environment... long into the future. 

Are you ready to Go Beyond? 

GoBeyond.siderise.com

December 2023

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?