High-Tech Glass from Saint-Gobain makes Grand Canyon View Possible
The new Grand Canyon Skywalk, the u-shaped glass bridge suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River, makes it possible for the first time for visitors to take in incomparable views of the western edge of the Grand Canyon.
[Read the Rest Here]

BFRC Welcomes Environmental Focus of Budget
BFRC Ltd Director Giles Willson welcomed the Chancellor’s Budget this week and praised it as being a Budget for the Environment and the future.
[Read the Rest Here]

Budget: More Needs to be Done,– says GGF
Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) Chief Executive Nigel Rees gave a guarded response to Gordon Brown’s budget announcements regarding initiatives relating to the environment and energy efficiency.
[Read the Rest Here]

Celsius Hits The 180 Mark
Sales of Celsius, the industry’s leading specialist conservatory roof glass have now hit 180,000m2.The specialist glass was launched to the trade at Glassex 2003 to help address the shortfalls associated with standard glass roofs.
[Read the Rest Here]

Advantage Expands Commercial Division
Following many successful years supplying PVCu windows and doors into the commercial sector, the directors of Advantage Windows and Conservatories Ltd, the Cheshire - based trade fabricator, have taken the decision to significantly expand their activities in this field.
[Read the Rest Here]

Sheerframe GRP Door System Takes the Heat
L.B. Plastics has successfully tested its Sheerframe PVC door outerframe in combination with a glazed GRP composite door and PVC sidelight to a 30-minute fire rating, offering greater adaptability plus enhanced safety and security for entrance doors.
[Read the Rest Here]

Anglian's £2.5m Drive for Success
Anglian Home Improvements, the UK home improvement specialist, has unveiled a £2.5m infrastructure investment in response to an increase in demand for its services.
[Read the Rest Here]

Vision Products Wins DEVCO Contract
Spectus fabricator, Talbot Green-based Vision Products is celebrating a new contract win having recently been selected by DEVCO, a group of six local housing associations, to supply windows and patio/French doors for its entire housing stock on both refurbishment and new build projects.
[Read the Rest Here]

Picking Made Easy at Synseal
Synseal has commissioned a state-of-the-art picking vehicle (PV). The Hubtex EZK 20 offers Synseal an effective way to pick products in the new 100,000 square foot warehouse where there are 800 picking stations.
[Read the Rest Here]

Marlow Joinery is New into Conservatories
Synseal customer, Marlow Joinery has just started conservatories and it couldn't be a better time. Owner John Hume has placed 14 insertions in his local paper and bought 11 radio slots, based around the 'as seen on TV' theme.
[Read the Rest Here]

Total Glass Invests £1m in New Machines
Total Glass, the UK fabricator, has invested nearly £1 million in new machinery as the Liverpool-based company continues to experience sustained growth in both its trade and commercial sectors.
[Read the Rest Here]

Superglaze Moves on with VEKA
An increase in business and the need for larger premises were the reasons behind Superglaze Windows Ltd's recent relocation from Leicester to Tamworth.
[Read the Rest Here]

A Clearer Brighter Future for Windowstyle
Windowstyle UK Ltd, the manufacturing arm of the Style Group UK, the independent retailer and producer of PVCu windows and doors, has launched a new training and development programme for employees.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Sales & Marketing Director For Avocet
Hardware manufacturer Avocet has appointed Mike Ward as Sales & Marketing Director for its window and door hardware division in a bid to further increase its already successful sales effort.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Offices for Business Micros Commercial Team
The commercial aluminium team at software specialist Business Micros has moved to new, larger premises in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
[Read the Rest Here]

The Heat is on for Polyframe
Halifax-based trade super-fabricator Polyframe has achieved the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) Window Energy Ratings A to D on its internally beaded PVC-U casement windows.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Window Opportunities to Open in Devon and Kent
Safestyle UK Ltd., the independent replacement window and door manufacturer and retailer in the UK, is opening new windows of opportunity for householders and job seekers in Devon and Kent.
[Read the Rest Here]

PVCu Direct Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
Staffordshire-based PVCu Direct was founded by Managing Director Bob Plimmer and this year is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Kömmerling Partner Evolves
A new Kömmerling partner has reached its next evolutionary step with over £2.1 million invested in new premises and machinery to a manufacturing capacity of 700 frames per week.
[Read the Rest Here]

Plastex on the Lean Journey to Success
Redditch-based PVCu door and window manufacturer, Plastex Ltd, is celebrating its manufacturing success with news of a high volume social housing contract after calling on the government's Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) for advice and support.
[Read the Rest Here]

Conzzeta Group 2006: Bystronic Performs Well
Net revenue of the Conzzeta Group rose 10.4% from CHF 1153.4 million to CHF 1273.6 million on the back of positive stimuli from the economy, the range of new products launched and the extension of the company's geographic reach.
[Read the Rest Here]

Ferco is Back!
The UK's best selling multi-point lock is set to make a welcome return after Gretsch-Unitas announced that a completely new range of FERCO multi-point locks are now available to manufacturers.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Figures Show Need for Increased Housing Supply, says HBF
Responding to official Government figures which show that the rate of new household formation in England is projected to be 223,000 per year up to 2026, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation (HBF), Stewart Baseley, says:
[Read the Rest Here]

NHBC Response To Woodrow And Wimpey Merger
NHBC, a leading authority and expert on new home construction in the UK said today that the potential merger between Taylor Woodrow and George Wimpey, set to create the UK's largest house-builder, was a clear indicator of the growing economic and political importance of the industry.
[Read the Rest Here]

Government Ignores Stakeholders' Warnings Over Home Buying
Major stakeholders in the residential property sector are fed up with the Government ignoring their concerns over the implementation of Home Information Packs (HIPs).
[Read the Rest Here]

GLASSEX 2007: REVIEW Part 3

OFT Enquiry into St Helens Glass ends in Company Collapse
Brian Kennedy appears to have paid the price for his hands-off approach with St Helens Glass Ltd, which ceased to trade on 8 March 2007 pending entering into a formal insolvency procedure (Creditors Voluntary Liquidation).
[Read the Rest Here]

Complaint Against Safestyle UK Upheld
A complaint objecting to a TV ad for windows and doors from Safestyle UK was upheld on both of the two objections according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
[Read the Rest Here]

Synseal's National Billboard Campaign Starts 24th March
Synseal continues its national branding campaign with a nationwide billboard campaign. The results from the TV campaign have been superb, with over 600 leads directly from the TV campaign. The billboards continue to keep Synseal's name in homeowners' minds.
[Read the Rest Here]

UK's Largest Fabricator Camden Group Commits to Super Spacer
With an investment programme totalling £30 million, trade customers now have more choice with Camden Group - and Super Spacer warm edge technology.
[Read the Rest Here]

Warwick Windows Wins Contract for 60 Homes
Sunderland based Synseal fabricator Warwick Windows and Conservatories is to supply and install Synseal's internally glazed Legend suite with an ogee bead detail to 480 windows and 120 entrance doors to 60 homes in Mount Stewart Street, Dawdon.
[Read the Rest Here]

Receipt of European Commission Statement of Objections
Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. (‘NSG’) has confirmed that Pilkington Group Ltd (‘Pilkington’), a member of NSG Group, received a Statement of Objections on 13th March 2007 from the European Commission.
[Read the Rest Here]

GAP Supports EDS Supplies' New Trade Counter
GAP customer EDS Supplies Ltd has opened a new trade counter. The Cannock based business, which has been trading for two years, opened its new venture on February 14th.
[Read the Rest Here]

Midlands Manufacturer First for Energy Efficiency
Finesse Windows & Conservatories has become the first independent domestic manufacturer/installer of PVCu windows and doors in the Midlands to be awarded the Energy Saving Trust's 'Energy Saving Recommended' certification.
[Read the Rest Here]

New Investment at Kestrel's Scunthorpe Factory
The installation of two new board foiling lines at the Kestrel Scunthorpe manufacturing centre demonstrates the company's commitment to investment in ‘in-house’ production facilities to ensure consistently high product quality.
[Read the Rest Here]

Kleentec all at Sea!
At the invitation of the British Consul General in Milan, Kleentec International will be exhibiting on the British Embassy stand at the Venice Boat Show, starting on Saturday.
[Read the Rest Here]

Ditch your Kit says Shepley!
Shepley Windows has experienced increased interest in the company’s Visage in-line patio door from installers but also from fabricators who had previously bought in patio door kits.
[Read the Rest Here]

A Winning Combination
What do you get if you cross a market-leading hardware and ventilation systems company with a leading door lock manufacturer?
According to SIEGENIA-AUBI general manager, Léann Hearne, you get a technical sales team that's raring to go.
[Read the Rest Here]

Rigby Research Maintains Standards of Excellence
Gloucestershire based market research company Rigby Research, a division of Michael Rigby Associates, is celebrating its seventh consecutive year of achieving the research quality standard BS7911: 2003.
[Read the Rest Here]

CCS Helps Glazing Businesses Bounce Back from Black Horse Pull-Out
Home improvement finance specialist Consumer Credit Solutions (CCS) has been quick to step in to help glazing and conservatory specialists bounce back from the withdrawal of Black Horse Retail Finance from the market.
[Read the Rest Here]

Watsons Glass Raises the Bar for Value Added Glass
Watsons Glass is a UK manufacturer of bullet resistant, blast resistant and sound control glass as well as glass to resist physical attack.
[Read the Rest Here]

Open House for Aluminium Fabricators
Hardware distributor, Wagner, welcomed customers to its Architectural Aluminium Division's new premises at Forge Mills Park, Coleshill, from 5th - 7th March during its Open House week.
[Read the Rest Here]

Masterframe's Sashes Shipped to Switzerland
Masterframe's Bygone range of vertical sliders have been installed in a new build colonial-style home... in Switzerland! Swiss homeowners Michèle and Jean Claude Decorges designed and built their dream home but couldn't find sliding sashes in Switzerland
[Read the Rest Here]

Good Installers Gain a New Route to TrustMark
TrustMark has approved two new scheme operators, the Confederation of Roofing Contractors and the British Board of Agrément. There are now 20 approved scheme operators, with another 15 under consideration.
[Read the Rest Here]

Pearl Windows Invests in Evolution Software
Bolton-based Pearl Windows has invested in a new suite of Evolution software from Business Micros.
[Read the Rest Here]

Supertrucks Racks for Hepworth Framework
Supertrucks Ltd has just delivered its first glass carrying racks fitted to new VW Crafter panel vans. These racks have been supplied to long-time Supertrucks customer, Hepworth Framework Ltd.
[Read the Rest Here]

New S and SE Packs Mean Extra Value for '07 Plate Van Buyers
The new registration plate marks the launch of two new options packs for Transporter buyers, offering them extra equipment as well as extra value.
[Read the Rest Here]

Linde Group Emerges from its Reorganisation Stronger
The technology group The Linde Group has completed its extensive reorganisation and has continued to implement its strategy of earnings-based growth in the 2006 financial year.
[Read the Rest Here]

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GLASSEX 2007: REVIEW Part 2

GLASSEX NEWS:
Glassex is 'Getting There' says Organiser
Glassex knocking has almost become a national sport. And whilst there has been some justification for that in recent times, this year's event showed that someone at Glassex HQ is listening. Everyone has a view about Glassex. And those views can be fairly easily divided between the knockers and supporters, albeit the latter also acknowledging that things ain't what they used to be. And perhaps that should be borne in mind as we dissect this year's event, poring over the bones of what remains the glazing industry's key face-to-face mass forum, as it has been for 28 years ....
[Read the Organiser's Statement Here]

Edgetech Exceeds Expectations at Glassex
Edgetech had high expectations for its stand at Glassex and wasn't disappointed with plenty of new leads and new business confirmations throughout the show.
[Read the Rest Here]

Lister Presented with Two New Awards
Lister Trade Frames was presented with two new awards at Glassex by BM TRADA.
[Read the Rest Here]

Major Success at Glassex for Cervoglass
Glassex provided a superb venue for Cervoglass to demonstrate its market position with many leads already converted into significant sales.
[Read the Rest Here]

Wow Factor for Windowlink at Glassex
'A very good show for us all round,’ declared Windowlink's MD, Giles Hayhurst. ‘Not only did we do five times more business than last year but we also scooped the Glassex Best New Software Product Award.’
[Read the Rest Here]

Havana Good Time at Glassex!
Giles Willson, GGF Director of Technical Affairs commented at the launch at Glassex in Birmingham, ‘I am very pleased at how very popular this guide has been received by the whole industry.
[Read the Rest Here]

First Time Fantastic for Conservatory Outlet
First time exhibitor Conservatory Outlet was a hit at this year's Glassex. ‘Our customers genuinely see themselves as part of the Conservatory Outlet brand,’ says Managing Director Matthew Glover, ‘and promoted the stand as their own.’
[Read the Rest Here]

Vista Celebrates Great Glassex with Best New Product Award
Vista Group plc returned to Glassex after a three year absence and topped a very successful show with an award for the 'Best New Door Product.'
[Read the Rest Here]

New Supertrucks Glass-Glide Rack
The new Supertruck's Glass-Glide slide-out glass carrying rack made a surprise debut at the Glassex Show. Supertrucks also made this year's show its most exciting ever with a win-a-Citroën Berlingo van competition.
[Read the Rest Here]

Reflex Fills the Gap at Glassex
Despite falling numbers, ‘Glassex 2007 was a great success for us’, says Scott Nicholas, Director of Reflex Glass. ‘We filled the gap left at the show by the missing high performance unit manufacturers.’
[Read the Rest Here]

Glassex Product Launch a Triumph for Profitmaker
'This year's Glassex has been a success. We launched three innovative products which generated a lot of interest for us and a steady stream of quality leads,'
[Read the Rest Here]

A World's First in Glass Machinery
Promac Group demonstrated what it claims to be the world's first 'U' shaped glass processing line on stand J070 in the Energy Efficiency Zone at Glassex 2007.
[Read the Rest Here]

Proactive Glassex Success
Not only did Proactive Procurement come away from Glassex with a number of high quality leads, but the company received orders during the show from enquiries made on Sunday and Monday.
[Read the Rest Here]

Plastmo Enjoys Best Ever Show
Some cynics may suggest that there is little left for the systems companies to display at Glassex, but Plastmo delivered a number of new products to visitors at the 2007 show.
[Read the Rest Here]

Success at Glassex for Selecta
For extruder Selecta Systems Glassex proved a very positive arena, despite the evident reduction in size of the exhibition.
[Read the Rest Here]

More Widgets, More Leads
Glassex 2007 was an important show for Window Widgets as the company launched a number of new products to enhance its reputation as a developer.
[Read the Rest Here]

Lisec Automatic Spacer Bending
The Lisec display featured an automatic spacer bender which covered a wide range of profile types.
[Read the Rest Here]

Glassex Proves Hot for GED
Intercept warm edge spacer machinery manufacturer GED was a first time exhibitor at Glassex this year, taking space in the Energy Efficiency Zone.
[Read the Rest Here]