Welcome to THE GL@ZINE News Archive: July 2007

 

Please click on 'THE GL@ZINE' links to view the whole issue, or on 'more on this story' just to see that particular story:

THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 278 24th July 2007

Rio Tinto makes a Recommended all Cash Offer for Alcan
Rio Tinto and Alcan have announced that they have reached an agreement for Rio Tinto to make an offer to acquire all of Alcan's outstanding common shares for US$101 per common share in a recommended, all cash transaction. The offer represents a total equity consideration for Alcan of approximately US$38.1 billion.
[Read the Rest Here]

Alcoa Withdraws Offer for Alcan
Alcoa Inc. announced on 12th July that it has withdrawn its offer for Alcan Inc. in light of Rio Tinto's announced agreement to purchase Alcan.
[Read the Rest Here]

BHP Billiton to Bid for Alcoa?
Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP Billiton is to decide in the next week or two whether to bid for U.S.-based aluminum company Alcoa.
[Read the Rest Here]

Listers Puts Extra Fizz Into G07
Previous award-winner, Lister Trade Frames, is literally putting extra fizz into this year's G07 Awards. The Staffordshire fabricator has joined Bohle in sponsoring the Champagne Reception at the Presentation Gala Dinner on Friday 12th October at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, NEC Complex.
[Read the Rest Here]

BBC Show Gets Into Gear With Pilkington
Pilkington Planar™ has been heralded by the BBC as one of the most important innovations of the last 100 years in a new television programme. 'James May's 20th Century' hit our screens in July on BBC2 and puts to the test some of the biggest developments in industry over the years.
[Read the Rest Here]

Yorkshire Windows Fall Foul of the ASA
The text of a regional press ad, for windows and doors, which had black and white chequered borders stated 'Yorkshire and Derbyshire Crime Reduction Initiative Don't be one of the 733,000* victims of Domestic Burglary Annually' above a shield logo that stated 'SECURED BY DESIGN'.

[Read the Rest Here]


Windows Plus Super Centre Chooses Deceuninck
Windows Plus Super Centre, the trade supplier based in Twickenham, has chosen Deceuninck as their supply partner for the Deeplas range of building products.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Conservatory Showroom For Wye Valley Windows
Wye Valley Windows has transformed its factory into a new 6000 sq ft indoor conservatory showroom with the help of conservatory roofing specialist, Newdawn.
[Read the Rest Here]

Showroom Openings For Plastmo

Plastmo Profiles have just opened a new and extended showroom in response to the number of new customers that have signed up at their Northampton base for their Vogue, Index, Charisma, Slidex and Rollex systems.
[Read the Rest Here]

DEM Secures Top WER Accreditations

Barnsley fabricator DEM Window Solutions has been accredited with A to C WER ratings for windows fabricated from WHS Halo's Eclipse and Eclipse esthétique profiles.
[Read the Rest Here]

Alcoa Reports Record First Half Revenue
Alcoa has announced second quarter 2007 income from continuing operations of $716 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, the second best quarterly performance in the Company's history and completing its best ever first half in revenues, earnings and cash from operations.
[Read the Rest Here]

CAB Annual Report Shows Significant Market Growth
At the end of June the Council for Aluminium in Building held its AGM at Oulton Hall near Leeds, where members and guests had the opportunity to network with a broad range of suppliers to the industry.
[Read the Rest Here]

Shepley has the Ans-WERs
Shepley Windows has now launched its own range of Visage® windows under the Window Energy Ratings (WERs) scheme with 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D' and 'E' solutions available for the trade installer and social housing specifier.
[Read the Rest Here]

LHC Leads the 'Safety Glass Awareness' Campaign
LHC Network is leading an intensive campaign to raise awareness of the issues surrounding use of safety glass for windows and doors by procurement specialists in both the public and private sectors.
[Read the Rest Here]

The Heat is On - Heatguard® Hits 500 Per Shift!
Over 500 HeatGuard® warm edge energy efficient products are now being produced by Cambridgeshire-based fabricator Tradelink every 8 hour shift.
[Read the Rest Here]

Siegenia-Aubi Helps Lancs Fabricator Achieve Folding Door First
Bolton-based Lancashire Trade Frames is celebrating the sale of its first bi-fold door with orders for plenty more. And, with help from SIEGENIA-AUBI, which is providing its FS-Portal hardware for the doors, the Lancashire fabricator is confident that this is the start of something big.
[Read the Rest Here]

Nippon Sheet Glass Announces Revision of Operating Result Forecast
In connection to the sale of the flat glass business in Australasia announced on 29th June 2007, Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. announces the revisions made to its forecast of operating results published on 31st May 2007
[Read the Rest Here]

Bracket Costs Bolton Drivers Top Six Place in 25-Hour Race
A 3p bracket robbed two Bolton race drivers of a top six position in the world's longest race circuit endurance event last weekend.
[Read the Rest Here]

BlueScope to Offload US Project for US$190m
BlueScope Steel Limited (BSL) has announced the US$190 million sale of The Vistawall Group, its North American aluminium architectural products business.
[Read the Rest Here]

fensterbau/frontale 2008 Already almost Booked Up
The integration of the new halls 4A and 7A into the space concept of fensterbau/frontale, which takes place together with HOLZ-HANDWERK in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 2-5 April 2008, is proving a big hit.
[Read the Rest Here]

Cutting Edge Investment from John Fredericks
In a strategic investment in excess of £500,000, Huddersfield-based super fabricator John Fredericks has taken delivery of its fourth Schirmer saw cutting centre.
[Read the Rest Here]

2,700 GAP Products Now Available Online
Independent home improvements stockist GAP has increased the number of products available to order online to 2,700 - around 85% of its total range.
[Read the Rest Here]

Remember, Remember the 25th of September!
Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the process and manufacturing sector including the glass industry, has announced its First National Conference, which will take place at the Belfry Hotel in Birmingham on 25th September 2007.
[Read the Rest Here]

Plastics Opportunities Expand in Window and Door Profiles
The latest developments in window, door and siding profiles were discussed at the international conference in June in Charlotte, USA, organised by Applied Market Information LLC.
[Read the Rest Here]

Vitro Exercises its Option to Increase Ownership Stake
Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. announced on July 3rd that its subsidiary Viméxico, S.A. de C.V. (Viméxico) has notified AFG Industries, Inc. (AFG) that it is exercising its right to purchase the 50% stake in the Mexican joint venture.
[Read the Rest Here]

Bespoke Conservatory Company Decides on Duraseal
A manufacturer of high quality timber framed conservatories and garden rooms has taken the decision to utilise Tremco illbruck's Duraseal - a warm edge sealant and spacer system, to help ensure its production of insulating glass units meets the latest legislation.
[Read the Rest Here]

Proskills to Establish a National Skills Academy for the Process and Manufacturing Sector
Proskills is celebrating the announcement that it has succeeded in its application to establish a National Skills Academy for the glass industry and the other sectors it represents. The establishment of the academy has been welcomed by employers as they recognise the potential opportunities this will create for them and their employees.
[Read the Rest Here]


THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 277 17th July 2007

Standing United, Hailing the Wood Window Alliance!

Representatives from some of the leading lights of the UK timber window industry are coming together in campaigning style to demonstrate their commitment to a major new marketing campaign scheduled to launch in the autumn. 34 founder members are joining up under the campaigning banner of The Wood Window Alliance.
[Read the Rest Here]

Timber Glazing Products Surge in New Housing
The following key points are from the 2007 edition of the Palmer report on the Market for Windows, Doors and Conservatories in New Housing. Timber glazing products in New Housing shot up by 28% in installed value terms in 2006, while PVC-U could only manage 3%. ‘Part of this was due to higher price rises but there were some substantial volume increases as well’ says Palmer.
[Read the Rest Here]

Glazing Industry Out in Force to Help Edgetech Celebrate Launch
'A resounding success,' was the consensus among the 148 guests at Edgetech's opening of the UK's first dedicated Warm Edge Technology manufacturing plant. Customers and representatives from the EST, GGF, and BFRC, joined other sealed unit manufacturers, glass companies, system companies, machinery firms, fabricators and installers last Thursday and Friday.
[Read the Rest Here]

Leivers and Millership Comes Back to Synseal
Leivers and Millership comes back to Synseal. 'After trying another supplier we found we weren't getting the quality or service we were used to with Synseal,' says Alex Leivers, Director of Leivers and Millership. 'That's why we switched back.'
[Read the Rest Here]

Ashton Windows Increases Sales Thanks to Deceuninck
Trade fabricator, Ashton Windows in Royton, near Oldham, has recently introduced Deceuninck as its systems house. The company started fabricating two of Deceuninck's systems - the 2500 Chamfered and the 2800 Decorative - just two months ago and the response has been immediate. The company has already seen a 10% increase in sales!
[Read the Rest Here]


West End Windows Launches VEKA
West End Windows, the Bristol-based trade fabricator, has introduced VEKA Matrix Fully Sculptured PVC-U windows and doors to its portfolio of products. The move is part of West End's strategy of offering customers the widest possible range of products.
[Read the Rest Here]

Avocet Provides its Customers with the Ultimate Take Away!
Capturing the imagination of its customers, Avocet Hardware's recent Chinese themed open day was deemed a success by all who attended, with the company transforming its West Yorkshire headquarters into an oriental extravaganza in recognition of its strong production connections with China, as well as to mark the launch of its brand new Phocas friction hinge.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Yale Home Security Range for Window Installers Warehouses
The ever-expanding network of Window Installers Warehouses will shortly be able to offer its trade and DIY customer a new range of Yale home security products designed for the domestic market.
[Read the Rest Here]

White Goods are Still Missing Energy Labels
Amidst an explosion of interest in Window Energy ratings and BFRC labels, it may be surprising to learn that the white goods industry has gone off the boil a bit in its adoption of energy labels.
[Read the Rest Here]

Fleet Investment for Abbott
New build specialist, Abbott Group, has recently invested in further new vehicles for the company’s installation and customer care teams to enhance their levels of service to the national and regional house builder.
[Read the Rest Here]

‘Stunning’ Entries Received for Bohle Glass Student of the Year Awards
The quality of entries for the second Bohle Glass Student of the Year Award is ‘Absolutely stunning’, according to Bohle managing director Gary Dean.
[Read the Rest Here]

Carl F Enhances Sales Management and Supply Systems
Carl F Petersen Ltd has invested heavily in latest technology for both sales administration and warehouse management. New software and reporting tools have been purchased that benefit the company's supply service for both hardware products and the Carl F direct professional tools/accessories on-line shop.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Wegoma Machinery Helps Keep Crystal Ahead of Demand
Hertfordshire based national trade fabricator Crystal Direct has added new machinery to its factory in response to increasing order levels. New welders and drain slot routers from its long standing supplier, Wegoma will increase production capacity of internally glazed frames by 10%.
[Read the Rest Here]

Another Significant OSP Order for Glaston
Glaston Corporation has received the second-largest One-Stop-Partner (OSP) order, a combination of pre-processing machinery and safety glass machinery, in its history. Coming from the EMEA area, the order is worth 11 million euros.
[Read the Rest Here]

Something in the Air at this Year's CIH
The importance of air permeability was the talking point from a bespoke door manufacturer at the 2007 CIH exhibition. Manse Masterdor ltd investigated how wind speed levels affected energy costs through heat loss and Leeds University validated the overall test results.

[Read the Rest Here]

Sovereign and VEKA Pull in the Crowds at Harrogate
Situated at the heart of The Chartered Institute of Housing Exhibition, based in Harrogate, window & door manufacturer and installer Sovereign Group Ltd attracted an abundance of executives from local authorities, housing associations, arms length management organisations and the private sectors.
[Read the Rest Here]

Inspector Home Welcomes OFT Housebuilding Study
The UK's leading snagging company for new homes, Inspector Home, is backing the forthcoming OFT (Office of Fair Trading) investigation into the quality of new homes, announced recently.
[Read the Rest Here]

Come On Let's Vogue!
Plastmo's fully ovolo Vogue suite is now the biggest selling system in the proven range that includes Index 63 and 70, Charisma vertical slider, Slidex in-line patio door and the Rollex fully reversible window.
[Read the Rest Here]

Reflex makes Top 400 List of Companies
Specialist conservatory roof glass manufacturer Reflex Glass has made it into the top 400 list of Leicestershire-based businesses ranked by profit and turnover.
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TrustMark Tradesmen Put Integrity Before Profit
TrustMark, the scheme to help the public find reputable firms to work inside and outside their homes, is celebrating another example of integrity by Britain's best tradesmen.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Paint Plant Gives Boost to Sapa Customers
Sapa Building Systems’ investment of almost £200,000 in a new, fully automated Powder Coating Spray Booth is helping to drive down lead times.
[Read the Rest Here]

OFT Report says Consumers and Businesses Could get More out of the Internet
The OFT has today released its report into internet shopping. The report concludes that the rapid growth of internet shopping is a success story that benefits both consumers and businesses across a range of markets, but that both could do more to make the most of the opportunities it provides.
[Read the Rest Here]

Scambusters Track down Crooks and Gangs
An initiative which has successfully targeted hundreds of crooks and conmen across England should be extended to other parts of the UK, the government has been told. Numerous cases are currently going to court and the initiative has particularly targeted doorstep cold-callers who prey on the elderly.
[Read the Rest Here]

Innovative Welsh Company Wins Construction Award
A tensile and fabric structure company has won the 2007 BEX Innovation competition for its commitment to developing new and sustainable construction products.
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Building On Success as Wembley Arena Wins Award
Wembley Arena scooped a LDSA Built in Quality Award at a recent ceremony in the Guildhall, London. The prestigious awards, bestowed by the London District Surveyors Association, recognise innovation in residential, commercial and community projects in nine award categories.
[Read the Rest Here]

Pearson Sets Out Future Carbon Cutting Role for Energy Companies
Gas and electricity companies of the future could be as much about helping customers cut their energy use and CO2 footprint as selling units of energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ian Pearson said recently.
[Read the Rest Here]

Andover Shows Off Low Carbon Homes to Minister
Communities and Local Government Minister Angela Smith recently visited Hockney Green, Testway Housing's innovative environmentally sustainable housing development in Andover.
[Read the Rest Here]


THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 276 10th July 2007

Antitrust Commission Inspections in Hardware Sector
The European Commission can confirm that on 3rd-4th July 2007 Commission officials undertook unannounced inspections at the premises of different producers of hardware for windows and doors in several Member States of the European Union.
[Read the Rest Here]

Cuts in Chinese Subsidies Affect UK Hardware Industry
Recent news from China has significant implications for the UK window industry, increasing the cost of many imported items. Introduced in 1985, tax rebates for exporters have made Chinese products extremely competitive, effectively reducing real prices by as much as 17.5%.

[Read the Rest Here]

New Day and Venue for Next PIGS Event
The next meeting of the glazing industry's favourite networking event, Publicity in Glazing or PIGS, will take place on Wednesday 18th July - a change from the traditional Thursday. The new venue, the Savoy Tup, promises real ale and an easy location in Covent Garden.
[Read the Rest Here]

The Low-E Market is 'Totally' Changing
The recently published draft ‘Climate Change Bill’ sets an ambitious target to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% below 1990 base levels by 2050.
According to DEFRA, heating, cooling and lighting of all buildings currently account for approximately 46% of all energy consumption related CO2 emissions in the UK.
[Read the Rest Here]

Paramount's 'Royal-flushed' with UK's Biggest Home Conservatory
Network VEKA member Paramount Window Systems has been commissioned to create what is thought to be the UK's biggest-ever domestic conservatory, at a house in Chester that was formerly owned by the Queen.
[Read the Rest Here]


Shield is the most Cost Effective 'A' Rated Window in the Industry
'Synseal's Shield is probably the most cost effective 'A' rated energy saving window in the industry’, says Jason Wilder, CWG Choices' Managing Director. ‘The sealed unit specification is St Gobain's planitherm and diamant glass, argon filled and with Edgetech's Super Spacer.'
[Read the Rest Here]

A Gilt Edge Window with Deceuninck
Essex-based fabricator Gilt Edge Windows has just announced that the company’s new manufacturing partner will be Deceuninck.Gilt Edge will be manufacturing two of Deceuninck's profile suites: the 2500 Chamfered and the 2800 Decorative.
[Read the Rest Here]

Your Industry Still Needs YOU! - Edgetech's VAT Campaign
The 'Reduce VAT' campaign is still going strong with 296 signatures on the Number 10 online petition so far. But we still need more. To persuade the Government to cut VAT on Energy Saving Recommended windows to 5%, we need as many signatures as possible by 20th October.
[Read the Rest Here]

Bowlee Park Housing Association Specifies Spectus
Highseal Windows Ltd is fabricating thousands of Spectus' casement windows for a five year refurbishment contract with Bowlee Park Housing Association near Rochdale.
[Read the Rest Here]

Five Day Composite Doors from Force 8
Force 8 has now made a strategic investment in the region of £125,000, on a state of the art CNC routing machine. This combined with a large stock holding of all styles and colours of door slabs, and its own delivery network, means that the company can deliver composite doors in just five days.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Sales Force to be Reckoned With
Distributors, specifiers, and installers of the Kestrel, BCE, Celuform and V-Cel brands are set to get even more support from what is now one of the largest Commercial and Contracts PVC-UE building product sales and support teams in the UK.
[Read the Rest Here]

Sheerlite Sales Rocket 70%
Sales of L.B. Plastics' advanced conservatory roof system Sheerlite have increased by 70% over the last 12 months and, as more window fabricators switch to the system, 2007 is proving to be another strong year.
[Read the Rest Here]

New President for SWA
Celebrating its 40th year in 2007, the Steel Window Association has a new President. Matthew Hahn of Steel Window Service & Supplies takes over from John Chamberlain of Rea Metal Windows.
[Read the Rest Here]

Rapid Frame Moves into Top Gear
Rapid Frame has now extended its portfolio of Formula One energy rated windows. Working in conjunction with systems supplier aluplast, the Walsall based specialist trade fabricator now has 6 windows registered with the British Fenestration Rating Council and listed on the BFRC website.
[Read the Rest Here]

More Wheels = More Deliveries!
Following recent investment of over £300,000 in new machinery at its Mildenhall plant, fabricator Tradelink has purchased two new lorries to add to the existing fleet of branded delivery vehicles.
[Read the Rest Here]

Miliband Unveils CO2 Calculator
An online calculator that enables people to work out their carbon footprint using government-recognised data and calculations was launched by Environment Secretary David Miliband on June 20th.
[Read the Rest Here]

Alcoa Completes Soft-Alloy Joint Venture with Sapa
Alcoa announced on 8th June that it has completed the creation of its soft-alloy extrusion joint venture with Sapa Group, part of Norwegian conglomerate Orkla ASA.

[Read the Rest Here]

‘From Mondeos to Mercedes’ with TimberWindows.com
Thirteen months ago Kal Windows diversified with TimberWindows.com's engineered timber windows because of saturation in the PVC-U market. Now timber makes up 60% of its business and the average order value has increased from £2,400 to £5,000.
[Read the Rest Here]

Housebuilders Praise H Jarvis Ltd
Some of the UK's top housebuilders have praised Sheerframe windowmaker H Jarvis Ltd for its high quality product range, good customer service and a solutions-focused approach, in a recent customer survey.
[Read the Rest Here]

Alcan Sells Vlissingen Smelter to Klesch
Alcan recently announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with UK-based Klesch & Company Limited (Klesch) regarding the sale of its Vlissingen smelter in the Netherlands.

[Read the Rest Here]

Strong First-Quarter Results for Hydro's Aluminium Business
Hydro reported strong results for the first quarter 2007, supported by high aluminium prices and solid operational performance within both energy and aluminium.

[Read the Rest Here]


THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 275 3rd July 2007

Amigos Triumph at GlazeKart '07
The 2007 GlazeKart event was judged a huge success by those teams taking part. With a background of changeable weather, 17 teams took to the grid on the 1.3km Daytona circuit at Milton Keynes. 30 minutes of practice showed that, whilst there was a wide range of abilities (and weights!), the competition was going to be tough all the way down the grid.
[Read the Rest Here]

HomePro Takes the Lead with IPWFI Acquisition
HomePro has overnight become the UK's largest provided of Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBGs) to the home improvement sector, thanks to its successful acquisition of the Incorporation of Plastic Window Fabricators & Installers (IPWFI).
[Read the Rest Here]

PrimaLawn calls Special Demo Day after Gl@zine Debut
Viridion Ltd, the synthetic grass company unveiled exclusively in The Gl@zine last month, has arranged a special demonstration day in response to the resulting demand. ‘Obviously many companies in the window industry are ready for diversification opportunities, and we knew we had something of interest to anyone involved in retail sales but even we were surprised by the reaction,’ said Viridion's Mark Rogers.
[Read the Rest Here]

Wombwell Workers Beat Floods in Style
Office and factory floor workers rolled up their sleeves and beat the South Yorkshire floods in true 'Dunkirk-style' this week to save thousands of pounds worth of production and an unprecedented disaster at the Wombwell plant of Windowstyle UK, part of the Style Group.
[Read the Rest Here]

GM Fundraising Saddle Up for the USA
Not content with the Top 2 Bottom and Tower 2 Tower charity bike rides, GM Fundraising will be saddling up for their biggest ever adventure in September 2008 when they set off across the USA. The gruelling schedule will involve a 16 day cycle ride from San Diego to Atlantic City, amounting to 3,046 miles and over 108,000 feet of climbing.
[Read the Rest Here]


100 Guests Registered so Far for Edgetech Launch
Just under 100 people, including customers, non-customer fabricators and sealed unit manufacturers, glass companies, media, system companies, installers, the EST and other industry influencers have already reserved their places for Edgetech's launch of UK manufacturing.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Dark Grey Colour Option from Freefoam
Freefoam Plastics, specialist in the manufacture and promotion of environmentally friendly, lead free roofline products, has just announced the introduction of a new dark grey colour to its range of products.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Website for Glassex and GP&T
The Glassex and Glass Processing and Technology exhibitions now have a new, single website at a new address – www.gexhibition.com. Featuring the distinctive ‘g’ branding, the website reflects the synergy between the two exhibitions and provides all the latest news, exhibitor information and real time floor plans.
[Read the Rest Here]

Glassex 2008 Conservatory Design Competition
Companies involved in the design, fabrication and installation of conservatories and other glass structures are being encouraged to visit the Glassex-GP&T website to register interest in the Conservatory Design Competition.
[Read the Rest Here]

L.B. Plastics Appoints Gary Firth to Drive Future Growth
PVC systems company L.B. Plastics has appointed Gary Firth as Head of New Business to extend its network of fabricators. Initially focusing on attracting new retail fabricators, Gary has already achieved a significant increase in sales with seven new trade and retail fabricators.
[Read the Rest Here]

Phoenix Door Panels Appoints Haydon Statham
Phoenix Door Pan