Weekly
Email News for the Glass, Glazing and Fenestration Industries
14th March 2006
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CRITIC'S CORNER
Profile
22 Watches The Armstrongs - Episode 3
We’d like to start off this week’s column by saying
how pleased we are that our TV Critic’s Corner seems to
be attracting attention from various sections of the industry.
And, as you’ll have seen from last week’s Glazine,
we seem to have rubbed certain Coventry-based fabricators up
the wrong way…
Let me take this opportunity to assure you John and Ann - we
at Profile 22 don’t hate you – quite the contrary.
We merely point out that you have (like it or not) become the
unwitting public representatives of an industry facing an uncertain
future.
More
Here:
Synseal
fabricators can now get perfectly colour-matched trims for
all its window profiles
More
Here:
Synseal
has announced all its profiles are available in five additional
colours: black, grey, red, blue and green
More
Here:
'When
Spanish Ice, best known as the new name for glue chip, first
came on to the market about a year ago, most observers could
immediately see that it was something quite new and different,’
says UAP
More
Here:
Sapa
Building Systems Dualframe Window
Wall is designed to offer a cost effective alternative to
traditional curtain walling systems - with some significant
added benefits
More
Here:
Britannia
Windows
of Clevedon has launched a new hardware brand, marine spec
More
Here:
Spectus
Window Systems
is unveiling a new rosewood colour option for its Vertical
Slider System, to satisfy demand for natural wood-effect finishes
with a prominent grain
More
Here:
Longevity
of solution is the key word for Comar
5 Pi Cladding adaptors. The adaptor allows the specifier the
design opportunity to incorporate windows into a façade
without the need for additional flashings
More
Here:
Duraflex
fabricator, A-Plas Windows Ltd,
has launched a Bi-Folding Door using PVC-U profile from the
Duraflex Diamond Suite
More
Here:
The
ContourGrid system from US and international manufacturer
GED Integrated Solutions
turns flat, pre-painted, coiled aluminium into custom punched,
formed, cut and shape-routed Georgian bar
More
Here:
Quality
Roofing Systems wants to help conservatory installers
by offering the Allure aluminium conservatory roof system
More
Here:
More Here:
Comar
Architectural Aluminium Systems
has announced that Comar 5P.i. Tilt & Turn window passed
the enhanced security British Standard: BS 7950
More
Here:
Profile
22 Systems has introduced 'cost-saving' Safeware
Super Steel reinforcement
More
Here:
(300+ Listed Products)
Go Here:
For a directory of products sorted by product type
Go Here:
For a directory of products sorted by company in alphabetical order
West
End Windows, the specialist aluminium
and PVC-U trade fabricator, has announced the launch of several
new product lines as part of its growth strategy
More
Here:
Joinery
manufacturers of high quality sash windows,
A & W Gowers Ltd of Chelmsford, Essex is a
family concern with an excellent local reputation
More
Here:
Teeside
based Synseal fabricator
installer Budget Windows
has seen huge changes since the management buy out. After completing
the first year under new ownership the investment and changes
are paying off
More
Here:
Suffolk
based English Architectural Glazing
has employed a number of techniques and materials in cladding
the entire envelop of the new, high tech Royal Alexandra Children's
Hospital in Brighton
More
Here:
New
homes in Nailsea near Bristol have been given a traditional look
with fully featured windows from the Duraflex
Diamond Suite
More
Here:
Austenitic
hardware manufactured in the UK by Securistyle
Ltd is being used by fabricators across the board in
a £50m window replacement scheme by Leeds ALMOS
More
Here:
Quantal
Approved Installer CTG used
its local knowledge to design and build a stunning conservatory
in St Ives
More
Here:
Conservatory
Outlet
member West Yorkshire Windows has recognised Maria Franey's
commitment to the company and promoted her to Sales Manager
More
Here:
GAP,
the roofline stockist, has appointed Alistair Cathcart for Commercial
Sales at the Leeds depot
More
Here:
Neil
Robinson, who represents the Glass Sector for Proskills,
has been seconded onto the Glazing Executive of the Glass and
Glazing Federation (GGF)
More
Here:
Another
batch of appointments has been announced by York based Sheppee
International
More
Here:
Eric
Gale has joined Profile 22
as specification manager for the North of England
More
Here:
Becky
Gibbs has joined Cheltenham-based door panel manufacturer Portal
Products to enhance its customer service and administration
team
More
Here:
A
new position has been created for Jerry Brookes as Synseal's
Commercial Sales Development Manager
More
Here:
eBuilders
has announced consumer viewing and activity statistics
to offer a glimpse of the growing power and influence
of the Internet in the consumer decision-making process
More
Here:
Emplas
Windows
has now launched a new website to further extend its
reach to its ever growing customer base
More
Here:
Hardware
specialist, Trojan Hardware
and Designs, has updated its corporate look
with a new website
More
Here:
Now
specifiers and contractors can access all the latest
information on CGI's comprehensive
range of fire and security glasses at the click of a
mouse
More
Here:
EN 1279 'Glass in buildings - insulating glass units'
has finally been posted in the Official Journal
of the European Union (OJ). This means that, from
next month, IGU manufacturers will be able to CE
mark their units - and by March 2007 all units must
comply with the Construction Products Directive
(CPD). And, said Adam Osborn of Notified Body BM
TRADA Certification, CE marking is the
most effective way to prove compliance
More
Here:
Palram
honoured the true spirit of Christmas this year helping
the needy and the vulnerable, by offering free building
materials desperately needed by the Crisis Open Christmas
More
Here:
KAT
UK,
the supplier of patio doors and vertical sliding sash
windows, donated £3,735.20 during 2005 to Care for
the Wild International (CWI) to aid the charity's work
in protecting wild tigers
More
Here:
One
company which has pre-empted the 'green' revolution is FSG
Technologies. It is installing the Mustang® continuous
aluminium guttering system, supplied by
Aluminium Roofline Products, on 'eco-friendly'
properties built by Paul Newman Homes.
More
Here:
Clean
PVC regrind from recycling of PVC window profiles is a valuable
raw material, that can be used again for the production of
PVC windows. But contamination such as by rubber from seals,
polyamide, plasticised PVC, etc are problematic. The separation
process used by hamos GmbH
in Penzberg works however entirely automatically, i.e. without
manual pre-sorting.
More
Here:
EU
policymakers, social partners and leading safety and health
experts met on 12th December 2005 in Bilbao, Spain, to see
how to better protect European workers from noise and to award
those organisations that have already managed to implement
effective solutions
More
Here:
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Glassex:
Visitors Down, Confidence Up
With visitor numbers down 17% on last year, Glassex 2006 (which took
place last week at the NEC) is a clear indication of the contraction
of the UK PVC-U window market. However, comments from the show suggest
that most exhibitors had a successful exhibition, which is perhaps an
indication that with fewer players in the market (and fewer exhibitors)
there is more business for those that are left standing. There was also
more emphasis on those market sectors which still have some life in
them: conservatory roofs (and roof glazing!), composite doors, even
garden sheds!
The visitor demographic also proved surprising: apart from a plethora
of new 'consultants' (normally people between jobs) and the usual mob
of press and PR hacks (how many magazines are there serving this market
now?) there was a fair spread of fabricators and installers and specifiers
from local authorities and housing associations, suggesting that Glassex
has not yet turned into the one-dimensional product based show for installers
which many have predicted.
General
Manager, Durham
Our
client is a well established and successful manufacturer of PVCu windows,
doors and conservatories, providing solutions principally for the
commercial sector from their Midlands base. Due to a recent expansion
they plan to create an equally successful operation from a modern
purpose built unit in Durham.
[More
Here]
GLASS HANDLING & PROCESSING EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
Upon the instructions of the administrators of IMS Glass (formerly Interpane Glass UK)
A large number of machines are being sold by tender, including a Lenhardt washer dryer, Bottero glass cutting, Street Crane vacuum lifting, Hegla vacuum lifting, Ingersoll Rand compressor and much more.
[More Here]
Fensterbau
2006
Trade
visitors at the exhibition duo fensterbau/frontale and HOLZ-HANDWERK,
which takes place in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 22-25 March
2006, can look forward to a comprehensive range of products from over
1,200 exhibitors from all over the world. Another good reason for
visiting the exhibition is the extra information offered by the supporting
programme on windows, facades and woodworking.
[More
on this Event]
Industry
Wide Seminar Set for May 10th 2006
Keeping
up to date with rapidly changing energy efficiency issues and environmental
legislation is of paramount importance to everyone in the window and
glass markets. Edgetech UK and
other industry experts are holding a free one day seminar on May 10th
at Coventry football team's home ground the Ricoh Arena.
[More
on this Event]
Get
'Six Appeal' at G06!
Make Friday 15 September a night to remember - the date for the G06
Awards Presentation, the industry's most sparkling event, has
been announced.
[More
on this Event]
Proskills
Apprenticeship And HR Events
Proskills,
the Sector Skills Council with responsibility for the Glass and Glazing
industries, in partnership with The Glass and Glazing Federation,
British Glass and the Learning and Skills Council, is holding three,
free of charge, Glass Industry launch workshops for Training and HR
staff.
[More
on this Event]
Henkel
Joins List of Interbuild Newcomers
Henkel
is among the key names on a growing list of 63 companies set to make
their first appearance as exhibitors at Interbuild 2006 the
UK's premier building and construction show (NEC, April 23-27).
[More
on this Event]
Exhibition
Calendar
Go
Here:
for upcoming exhibitions in the UK and the rest of the world.
UPDATED!!
A
lively and colourful residential and commercial development in Glasgow,
which features innovative use of glazing systems from architectural
aluminium specialist, Technal,
has won another major award.
More
Here:
Comar
Architectural Aluminium Systems
has announced that its thermally efficient Comar 5 P.i. Reversible
Pivot Window exceeds the requirements of the BS 6375 Part 1: 1989
Classification for Weather Tightness.
More
Here:
GU
Ferco's
new G4 range of Europa security multi-point locks has been awarded
(British Board of Agrement) BBA No: 2569 approval.
More
Here:
Effective
use of the radio and internet are just two of the ways Conservatory
Outlet helps members target homeowners.
More
Here:
The
roofline stockist, GAP,
has a philosophy to work hard and play hard. So when customer
Phil Martindale asked GAP to part-sponsor his entry in the endurance
motor racing series Uniroyal Fun Cup, it agreed.
More
Here:
When
Steve Simpson of Tudor Glass in Bury takes a break from his
day job, he is still surrounded by reminders of the Pilkington
product range he works with on a daily basis. A keen and successful
amateur rally driver, Steve's car is now emblazoned with the
logo of Pilkington Activ™
More
Here:
The
importance of an issue can be gauged by the amount of air-time
it receives. Concern for the environment is continuing to rise
and with it, so is the number of TV programmes showing how best
to be eco-friendly. Aluminium Roofline
Products is appearing in one such show - 'The House
That Dick Built'.
More
Here:
Chiltern
Dynamics and sister company BM
TRADA Certification have produced a free technical
information sheet with up-to-date information on CE marking of
windows and doors.
More
here:
As Spring approaches, Ultraframe
is helping its customers prepare for their busiest time of year
by providing installers with the tools to maximise their marketing
campaigns.
More
here:
North Western Lead
has produced a brochure with 48 photographs of decorative glass
panels: 24 with lead and film and 24 featuring Decra Bevels. NWL
trade customers can have their own logo, their own name and address,
plus full contact details professionally overprinted on the brochure
for a nominal fee.
More
here:
Bohle
has launched the latest version of its huge and highly comprehensive
catalogue of everything the glass and glazing industry could ever
need.
More
here:
The
total volume of construction output in 2005 fell by one per cent
compared to the previous year, the first fall in the industry
since 1994. Overall new work fell over the same period, despite
increases in the private housing, private industrial and commercial
sectors.
More
here:
Birmingham-based
System 10 fabricator Shelforce
has launched a training programme designed to encourage local disadvantaged
residents into the PVC-U windows and doors industry.
More
Here:
Warmseal
Ltd, based near Newcastle upon Tyne, a manufacturer of
double glazing, doors and conservatories, is proud of the success
of over 60 of its employees.
More
Here:
Part L and J (Scotland) have affected Roof Window specifications, with particular emphasis on thermal transmissions and installation systems. Fakro Roof Windows has a pro-active Research and Development section
More here:
PART L ARCHIVE
The
exhibition duo HOLZ-HANDWERK and
fensterbau/frontale takes place
again in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 22-25 March 2006. The
combined trade fairs with over 1,200 exhibitors and well over 90,000
trade visitors will again be a unique industry platform and the meeting-place
for the industries concerned in 2006.
[More
on this Event]
A
new exhibition plant is growing out of the desert sand: More than
2,800 trade visitors and conference participants attended the first
Intelligent Building Middle East
(IBME).
[More
on this Event]
Reed
Exhibitions plans to hold the next Interplas
on 15-18 May 2007. This is five months before K, the world’s
largest plastics event that takes place every three years in Düsseldorf,
Germany. The next Interplas was originally due to run on 7-9 October
2008.
[More
on this Event]
More leading companies are following the example of Eleco and Akzo
Nobel in backing a concerted push by TRADA, the Timber Research &
Development Association, to raise the profile of timber at Interbuild
2006.
[More
on this Event]
MosBuild+ 2005 Exhibition was
the biggest Windows & Doors exhibition ever to be held in Russia.
The event hosted over 300 Exhibitors and 40,000 visitors over the
four day International Event. The 2006 show will be 4-7th April.
[More
on this Event]
GPD
China will once again be held in conjunction with China
Glass 2006 in Beijing, China. This time, it will be held
just before China Glass. The venue will be announced later.
[More
on this Event]
Exhibition
Calendar
Go
Here:
for upcoming exhibitions in the UK and the rest of the world.
UPDATED!!
The
Eden Project's new education and resource facility has bespoke
PowerGlaz building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) glass/glass
laminates manufactured by Romag
More
Here:
Malcolm
Wicks recently outlined his vision for micro wind turbines,
solar panels and other microgeneration technologies at the launch
of the Energy Futures Lab at Imperial College in London
More
Here:
According
to Glassex marketing manager Claire Shilling 'I have heard many stories
of the days out for the boys at Glassex, attracted by many exhibitors
that operated large and free-flowing bars from the minute the show opened
to when it closed in the evening. That has changed dramatically in recent
years as exhibitors are more discreet about serving alcohol, realising
perhaps it does not attract the serious buyer. While we have not actually
carried out research into the drinking habits of our visitors, it is safe
to say that the drop in visitor numbers has been largely down to the tyre
kickers who wanted a bit of a jolly, especially on the Sunday.
If there is anything in this business that attracts more discussion and debate than Glassex year on year I have yet to encounter it. Every year exhibitors justify their presence at the event while non exhibiting visitors nod sagely and declare to anyone who will listen why they are glad they did not take the plunge. While anecdotal evidence is the easiest to garner and analyse, it still does not give a true picture. On square metreage alone 2006 was probably one of the smallest Glassexes on record, and while the market is turbulent, this cannot be a true representation of the industry.
Perhaps now is the time to bite the bullet and accede to what many have been saying for some time and change the frequency of Glassex to a biennial, and even look at the number of open days. Because if, as the data suggests, we are looking at a different profile of visitor, then perhaps Sunday opening is no longer necessary.
Sunday this year was particularly slow, but footfall picked up noticeably on Monday and Tuesday, while Wednesday was surprisingly good. Further proof, maybe, that a three day event in the week would be a favourable option.
Our first Glassex Review is here.
WHS
Halo Turns the
Art of Quality
Manufacturing
to Composite Doors
Extrusion
company WHS
Halo has introduced
a range of high
quality and performance
composite doors
- the Gallery
collection –
that the company
says overcomes
all the issues
associated with
timber and PVC-U
items.
[More
on this Product]
Product of
the Week Archive
here
Euro
Design and Maco take
a Tilt at Student
Accommodation
Euro
Design Ltd
of Thirsk has recently
completed a major
installation for student
accommodation in Lincoln.
Main contractors North
Midland Construction
produced a specification
that demanded great
attention to safety
detail. Installing
windows in educational
accommodation for
students had proved
to be a problem with
a previous site as
students managed to
lift sashes out in
order to open the
windows.
[More
on this Project]
Touchline
Spats Don't Prevent
Premiership Play
Heady European nights
may be at the forefront
of some our teams'
minds but as John
Terry said, it's the
Premiership that counts.
Both Arsenal and Chelsea
got their Champions
League preparations
off to a great start
this weekend picking
up full points away
from home. Arsenal's
4-0 win away at Fulham
gets them set for
round two with Madrid,
whilst Jose Mourinho
seems to be taking
centre stage on the
back pages and not
for his team's 2-1
win away at West Brom
either. Was it that
Jose is suffering
a touch of the Barcelona
blues as he had a
touchline 'spat' with
Brian Robson?
[More
on this Here]
THIS WEEK'S NEWS
Glassex
2006:
The
Evolution
Continues
The
transition
of
Glassex
from
the
annual
away
day
for
Britain's
window
installers
to
a
professionals-only
buying
fair
continued
as
the
event
entered
its
26th
consecutive
year
as
the
UK
window,
door
and
conservatory
industry's
primary
showcase.
[More
on
this
Story]
Glassex
Spotlight
Report
Sambrook
Research
International
recently
visited
the
Glassex
exhibition
at
the
NEC
in
Birmingham
and
conducted
a
survey
at
the
show,
examining
market
trends,
key
threats
and
opportunities
within
key
sectors.
[More
on
this
Story]
Quotes
and
Comments
from
Glassex
2006
'We
came
here
to
celebrate
our
20th
anniversary
in
the
UK,
and
the
10th
anniversary
of
Network
Veka,
and
to
establish
our
commitment
as
a
UK
systems
company
to
the
British
market.
It's
a
cliché
but
we've
had
a
steady
rate
of
enquiries
the
quality
of
which
has
been
excellent;
when
we
have
done
shows
like
this
in
the
past
the
effects
last
for
many
years.
This
has
been
very
effective
for
us.
We
wanted
to
make
the
biggest
impact
in
the
shortest
time
and
it's
worked
very
well.'.
[More
Comments
Here]
Ultraframe
Stands
for
Design
It
was
not
just
the
remarkable
standard
of
inspiring
entries
in
the
Conservatory
Design
Competition
sponsored
by
Ultraframe,
that
was
turning
heads
at
Glassex
this
year,
the
creative
Pavilion
stand,
which
displayed
the
winning
entries
is
becoming
a
key
attraction
at
the
show
too.
[More
on
this
Story]
Putting
the
‘Fun’
into
Fundraising
The
GM
Fundraising
team
has
announced
a
series
of
events
for
2006
commencing
with
the
return
of
the
glazing
industry's
premier
social
occasion,
the
GMF
Gala
Dinner
on
17th
June
at
The
Palace
Hotel
in
Manchester.
[More
on
this
Story]
Lupus
Capital
Acquires
Schlegel
Building
Products
Division
Lupus
Capital
plc
agreed
on
Friday,
March
3rd,
to
acquire
the
Schlegel
Building
Products
Division
from
Unipoly.
Schlegel
Building
Products
makes
environmental
sealing
systems
for
windows
and
doors.
[More
on
this
Story]
Having
a
Bay-Bee
Just
got
Easier
Eurocell
Profiles
Ltd,
the
manufacturer
of
PVC-u,
has
been
awarded
a
LANTAC
(Local
Authority
National
Type
Approval
Confederation)
approval
certificate
by
Amber
Valley
Council.
[More
on
this
Story]
Newstead
Hosts
Exhibition
on
March
16
and
17
'We've
decided
to
hold
a