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THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 10 29th January 2002
AG's
£6.5M Investment 'Gives 'em 'L'
A
little over a year after moving into its new £2M purpose built factory,
Barnsley-based glass processor AG Glass has upped its game even further
with an additional £4.5M investment to create extra production space
(now totalling 65,000 sq. ft), and installing the latest state-of-the-art
production equipment from Bystronic, Lisec and Ashton Industrial.
[More on this story]
Thermoseal
invests in new premises
The Thermoseal Group, the fastest growing UK supplier of double glazing
consumables, has moved to new 27,500 sq ft premises on a 1.5 acre site
at Nexus Point, Birmingham. The company has also announced a series of
opening days and Part L training workshops, timed to coincide with Glassex
and beginning on March 4th.
[More on this story]
THE
MORAN GROUP OFFERS EXCLUSIVITY FOR WINDOW WARM
Adelphi Window Systems, part of The Moran Group PLC, has signed an exclusive
distribution agreement with Window Warm of Leamington Spa. Window Warm
will have sole distribution rights for the Adelphi window and the Advantage
conservatory roof within an approximate 20 mile radius of Leamington Spa.
[More on this story]
MORE
FUND RAISING FUN
PR expert Kate Ashley-Norman of The Bath Plug & Tap Publicity Company
swapped her pen for a couple of hours sweeping the floors at MB Frames’
Bristol factory, helping her on the way to raising funds for a 100km hike
to the Himalayas. She is also helping to organise the Gary Morton Charity
Gig at Glassex (details follow).
[More on this story]
NEW-LOOK MANAGEMENT OPENS DOOR ON 2002
Leicestershire based Benlowe Group, the UK construction industry niche
supplier (which includes Bennett Windows and Thomas Lowe , has changed
hands in a £8 million deal, which has placed a new man at the head
of the business.
[More on this story]
ULTRAFRAME
ENJOYS GOOD FIRST QUARTER
Rod Sellers, the Chairman of Ultraframe, made the following statement
regarding current trading at the Annual General Meeting held at Clitheroe
on 18th January.
[More on this story]
Universal
Imports signs with GBWendland
GBWendland, part of the £260m Latium Group, is, apart from supplying
an innovative conservatory roof system, a supplier to the UK market of
bespoke door panels and composite doors. 'Our customers have very demanding
standards so naturally GBW is continuously striving to improve quality
and service.'Says MD Philip Troman.
[More on this story]
Synseal
gets branded with Avocet and tests Conservatory Roof to destruction
Before the launch of any new product, rigorous testing is carried out
to ensure that a high standard is met for the end consumer. Synseal Extrusions
Ltd have recently completed the tests on their new Conservatory System
and the results are good news for the industry. Synseal has also struck
a deal with Avocet over branded hardware
[More on this story]
WRAP
announces Workshops
& Events
Improving waste management and recycling is one of the biggest challenges
facing UK industry. Consequently, the recycling sector is primed for significant
growth and many exciting opportunities exist for investors in businesses
ready to be part of this growth, says the Waste And Resources Action Programme.
[More on this story]
Clement
Windows, quite literally, stop traffic!!
When the owners of the much-publicised 'Flat Roofed House', near Henley,
heard the thunderous smashing of glass, they were horrified to find that
a 7 1/2 tonne delivery truck that was parked on their slopping driveway
had, due to a faulty handbrake, rolled into the house.
[More on this story]
Baltic
Pine announces Major Investment in Cornwall
Baltic Pine, manufacturer of timber conservatories, has announced a major
spend of £0.5M in a new treatment plant, the company's largest investment
to date.
[More on this story]
THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 9 22nd January 2002
Deceuninck
and Status march confidently side by side into 2002 and beyond
In a major presentation to the trade press last Wednesday, Deceuninck,
and subsidiary company Status Systems outlined their separate but mutually
beneficial plans for the coming year. 2002 will see a further significant
increase in turnover for Deceuninck in the UK, plus the addition of further
capacity as the result of a multi million pound manufacturing and warehousing
site investment at Calne.
[More on this story]
Sales
of Group Deceuninck rises to 350.3m Euro in 2001
Group Deceuninck achieved consolidated sales of 350.3 million Euro in
2001. This represents an increase of 3.2% compared with 2000.
[More on this story]
Window
industry given value by Euro
Love it or loathe it, the Euro is here to stay. Whether you think it spells
the end of democracy as we know it, or you are looking forward to the
UK Pound being worth 30% more than the Euro's launch price by the time
you go on holiday this year, you can trust our friends at Eurowindoor
to come up with some suitable 'eurobabble'. Did you know they all feature
designs of windows?
[More on this story]
Thermoseal
acquires Rjukan Agency
Following
the re-location of Rjukan’s Tamworth operation to specialise in decorative
products, Thermoseal Group, the UK’s fastest growing supplier of
sealed unit accessories and machinery has taken over the agency for the
Scandinavian manufacturer’s range of spacer bending and desiccant
filling machines.
[More on this story]
MACO,
BUILDING INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS AROUND THE MACH II
Following its principle of creating strategic partnerships with customers
in the industry, MACO announces the latest, with major trade fabricator,
Cambrian Windows in Pembrokeshire, and distributors, Advanced Hardware
of Cambridge.
[More on this story]
Alcoa
makes Fourth Quarter losses but says restructure will pay off
Alcoa has announced earnings for the 2001 fourth quarter of $99 million,
excluding a special after tax charge of $241 million, for a strategic
restructuring announced in November. Including the special charge, Alcoa
had a net loss for the quarter of $142 million.
[More on this story]
SHEERFRAME
BACKS GREEN HOUSING AWARDS
UK window systems company L.B. Plastics is reinforcing its green credentials
by co-sponsoring the Daily Mail GreenLeaf Housing Awards 2002. The linking
of Sheerframe – L.B.’s window systems brand – with the
Daily Mail GreenLeaf Awards is designed to draw attention to the green
credentials of PVC in general, and Sheerframe in particular, following
the recent attempts by the ailing timber industry to reverse its own declining
fortunes.
[More on this story]
£6.9
BILLION COST OF FIRES COULD BE SLASHED SAYS PILKINGTON
Responding to a recent Government report that fire cost the UK economy
a massive £6.9 billion in 1999, Phil Brown, Technical Manager for
Pilkington believes that the cost of fire damage could be slashed substantially
if more attention was paid to the use of fire resistant glass and other
materials in the internal construction of commercial buildings.
[More on this story]
PPG
announces drop in earnings for 2001 despite record sales
PPG
Industries has reported fourth-quarter net income of $83 million, on sales
of $1.91 billion. This compares with fourth-quarter 2000 net income of
$126 million on sales of $2.1 billion. For all of 2001, PPG's net income
was $387 million, including a $101 million pretax restructuring charge
in the first quarter.
[More on this story]
RIBA
announces new national conference and awards at Interbuild
RIBA is to hold a two-day national conference in June in what is hoped
will be the first of a regular series. The conference will take place
at Interbuild on the 11 and 12th June and will be organised in association
with The Architects' Journal published by Emap Construct. The conference
will be free to RIBA members and will include a wide range of CPD seminars
on technical and practice matters. In addition, the announcement of the
RIBA Awards will take place at a dinner on the 11 June in Birmingham.
[More on this story]
HomePro
builds a better society with Britannia
The latest partner alliance from HomePro will see its trade customers
exposed to over 2 million consumers potentially seeking home improvements.
The company has formed a partnership with the Britannia Building Society
whereby its Find-a-Pro 'active matching' service is now extended to the
society's members through www.Britannia.co.uk. The service will provide
Britannia's millions of members with access to the quality-ranked directory
of skilled and reputable trade professionals.
[More on this story]
THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 8 15th January 2002
Kings
of the Road: Synseal fleet clocks up 1.8 million miles a year
Synseal's phenomenal growth has been well documented over recent months.
New products like the Shield Conservatory System, new customers, and 19.5%
more sales to existing customers compared with the same period last year,
have underpinned the company's multi-million expansion programme.
[More on this story]
New
Plimsoll Analysis reveals healthy market growth in 2002
The
UK Windows & Doors market is set to grow at a healthy 3.9% in 2002,
according to a just published analysis from Plimsoll.
[More on this story]
WIN
MANCHESTER UNITED EXECUTIVE SUITE TICKETS!
If you visit the Shand Higson stand at Glassex 2002 (stand no. GP002 in
the Glass Pavillion), you can enter their Prize Draw in which you can
win a pair of executive suite tickets to see Manchester United vs. Middlesbrough
on 23rd March
[More on this story]
Planet
launches conservatory franchise network
Planet,
the North West conservatory installer has announced its intention to roll
out nationally, using a network of franchisees selling into exclusive
marketing areas. Planet Franchising Ltd has been established to mount
a major franchisee recruitment campaign in 2002.
Based on a successful pilot franchise in Haydock, Merseyside, and with
3 new franchisees already added in the last past two months, Planet intend
to offer to existing independent fabricator / installers the template
that has driven Planet to market leadership in conservatory sales in the
North West.
[More on this story]
HW PLASTICS - Macclesfield grows, Gloucester goes
HW
Plastics Limited has announced a multi-million pound investment in its
manufacturing facilities at Macclesfield and Scunthorpe, together with
a major restructuring of its operations. As a result of this programme,
its Macclesfield site, already one of the largest extrusion operations
in the UK, will be expanded and by the end of March 2003 will produce
all the Company's window profiles. The Gloucester factory will ultimately
close.
[More on this story]
LB Plastics backs Hull's Awards scheme
For
the second consecutive year, Sheerframe systems company L.B. Plastics
has backed Hull's drive for excellence by sponsoring the council's Towards
Service Excellence Awards scheme.
[More on this story]
SFS in major expansion
Window fastener and door hinge company SFS has become
the world's largest manufacturer of fastening systems for key industrial
markets following the acquisition of Construction Fasteners Inc in the
US. The company is also changing its name fiom SFS Stadler to SFS intec
and focusing its UK business growth from its Leeds headquarters.
[More on this story]
AC YULE TAKE THE HIGH ROAD
With the revised Document L of the Building Regulations having a dramatic
effect on the UK window industry, but particularly the home improvement
sector, VEKA fabricator AC Yule is very keen to ensure that its customers
are fully prepared for the changes when they take place in April 2002.
Anticipating any issues that might be raised as a result of the new rules,
AC Yule took to the road with the VEKA Big Rig mobile exhibition unit
to visit its customers and local specifiers to ensure they are all fully
aware of the changes, and are able to ensure full advantage is taken of
what the company see as an opportunity, rather than burden.
[More on this story]
THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 7 8th January 2002
Conservatories
to 'come in from the cold'? Government reviews
exemptions from the Building Regulations
Proposals that could bring an end to poorly-built and badly-insulated
conservatories and curb the activities of the companies who build them
were published by the Government today.
[More on this story]
Double
victory for ASSA ABLOY boat, arriving first in Auckland
At 17.20.46 GMT, 06.20 local time, ASSA ABLOY was the first boat to cross
the finish line of leg three in the early hours of January 4 in Auckland.
[More on this story]
Postponement
of Asahi Glass offer until 15 January 2002
The Board of Directors of Glaverbel S.A. met this Thursday, 20 December
2001 to determine, among other points on the agenda, the opinion that
it must give to the Banking and Finance Commission (Brussels) on the public
tender offer for the shares in Glaverbel S.A. announced this Wednesday,
19 December by Asahi Glass.
[More on this story]
Solvay
acquires Cova
Following the announcement of 16th July 2001, Solvay SA and Hindrichs-Auffermann
AG have now concluded the arrangements for the acquisition of Cova Products
Limited by Solvay.
[More on this story]
Knock!
Knock! Who's There? - Not the company you expected!
'If you want to sell to the window industry,' say Windowbase, 'just make
sure you are knocking on the right door! One in four companies have moved,
changed their activity or went out of the business in the past year.'
[More on this story]
LAIRD
SECURITY HARDWARE - new brand, famous quality
Laird Security Hardware is the new brand title for the combined strengths
of two of well known names in the window and door industry, Cego Frameware
and Feneseal.
[More on this story]
Launch
of Architectural Glazing Services from Solutia
Solutia is launching a new service for its customers. Glass professionals,
specifiers, architects, structural engineers, interior designers and consumers
will now be able to contact Architectural Glazing Services (AGS) for information
on any of Solutia's products related to glass used architecturally.
[More on this story]
Roger
Deceuninck receives 'Kravat van Commandeur in de Kroonorde'
Roger Deceuninck, president of the Board of Directors of the Deceuninck
Group was awarded the 'Kravat van Commandeur in de Kroonorde' in recognition
of his great qualities and his many business and humane contributions
and achievements.
[More on this story]
Ege
Profil hit by floods
On 17 December 2001, 90 companies in the Ataturk Organize Sanayi industrial
zone of Izmir were flooded as a result of a particularly heavy downfall.
Ege Profil AS, the Turkish subsidiary of Deceuninck, was among the companies
hit.
[More on this story]
Spectacular
year of Growth for John Fredericks
2001 has been a spectacular year of growth for John Fredericks Plastics,
one of the UK's leading trade fabricators of PVCu windows, doors and conservatories.
[More on this story]
Edstrom
on a High at Everest
Corby based, van accessory and component specialists, Edstrom of Sweden
Ltd has completed supply of various components for an eighty vehicle contract
for Everest Windows.
[More on this story]
Glaverbel
invests EUR 34.71 million in a new coater at Lodelinsar
The Glaverbel Group is investing in a new coater at its Lodelinsart plant
in Belgium (Charleroi). This new system will upgrade production of coated
solar control glass.
[More on this story]
THE
FLAT GLASS SECTOR AND COMPETENCE BASED QUALIFICATIONS
The Glass Qualifications Authority (GQA) based in Sheffield has reported
that the flat glass sector is registering more and more individuals on
its National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).
[More on this story