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THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 43 24th September 2002
Glass
Tribute Offers Memorial for New York Police and Fire Department Victims
of September 11 and plans to raise $1m for Children
Glass Creations, a Dallas-based decorative glass company, has created
a special handcrafted glass memorial dedicated to the New York police
and firefighters who lost their lives during last year's Sept. 11 attack
on the World Trade Centre.
[More
on this Story]
The
Winter Garden, New York, Reopens among rubble of Ground Zero
The Winter Garden, a 10-story vaulted aluminum-and-glass atrium in New
York, has reopened, becoming the first major building destroyed in the
September 11 attacks to come back to life.
[More
on this Story]
OFT
Action on Doorstep Selling Complaint
Doorstep selling is the subject of the second super-complaint received
by the OFT. The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux has asked
the OFT to look at problems consumers experience with doorstep sales in
a wide variety of goods and services.
[More
on this Story]
Hegla
Invests in the UK
Hegla Group of Germany is opening a Sales and Service office in the UK
to support its range of glass cutting and handling machinery for monolithic
and laminated glass.
[More
on this Story]
Indigo
Products Professional Boxing Evening
Capital Promotions UK present an evening of professional boxing to be
held at the Menzies Leofric Hotel in Coventry on Saturday 16th November.This
is a black tie event which includes four contests plus dinner and entertainment.
[More
on this Story]
Intermac
Launches UK Subsidiary
Intermac, part of the quoted Italian group Biesse SpA, has established
Intermac UK in order to provide closer sales and service support to the
glass and stone markets in the UK and Ireland.
[More
on this Story]
Pilkington
Appoints Oscar Boronat to Head Primary Products Europe
Pilkington plc has appointed Oscar Boronat (left) to the position of Managing
Director of its European Primary Products division, the largest operating
unit within the Group.
[More
on this Story]
Wendland's
New Roof Comes Out on Top
Wendland's new Styal™ conservatory roofing system has proved a clear
winner in the bid to supply a new roof fabrication venture set up by the
highly successful Eynsham Group, founded by Gary McCartan and Mike James.
[More
on this Story]
Window
Factory Works on Future PERCS
Deceuninck's PERC operation has started working with Status fabricator
The Window Factory in the development of an operation dedicated to PVCu
roofline and cladding products.
[More
on this Story]
Pilkington
has created a network of 'Product Launch Partners' to distribute Activ
In an effort to support Activ further down the sales chain, and limit
distribution in the early stages of the rollout, Pilkington has created
a network of 'Product
Launch Partners', currently standing at around 51 window manufacturing
companies.
[More
on this Story]
Design
Team Appointed for New Bridges at Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf Group has appointed design team Patel Taylor Architects/MG
Bennett Associates/Techniker to design two bridges for its eastern district.
[More
on this Story]
Top
Ten Most Profitable Window and Door Manufacturers
A new industry report that examines the financial performance of over
one hundred leading companies operating as window and door manufacturers
in Great Britain reveals the top ten most profitable companies by pre-tax
profit margin for the last complete financial year available, 2000/2001.
[More
on this Story]
Schott
to Build Europe’s Largest Float Plant for High-Quality Thin Glass
in Jena
The Schott Group will invest 49 million euros in a new production facility
for high-quality thin glass (TFT glass) for the display and electronics
industry at its Schott Jenaer Glas GmbH site, where more than 70 new jobs
will be created.
[More
on this Story]
Synseal
Invest Over £1 Million in Production Lines
Synseal has invested in its production capacity with the recent addition
of a second gasket extrusion line and the installation of a third foiling
line which has increased foiling capacity by 50%.
[More
on this Story]
UKae
Installs New Spacer Bar Production Lines
Following a period of extensive growth for the company, glazing consumables
manufacturer UKae Ltd has just completed installation of three new spacer
bar production lines
[More
on this Story]
Sheerframe
Delivers New Life to Clasp Schools
UK window and curtain walling systems company, L.B. Plastics Ltd., has
come up with a solution to revitalise deteriorating CLASP buildings.
[More
on this Story]
Mission
Impossible - NOT FOR INDIGO!
Few
fabricators possess the capacity, or production planning flexibility to
cater for the needs of all market sectors. But the team at Indigo Products
Limited have a mission to do just that!
[More
on this Story]
Sidey
Open New Showsite
A major capital development programme has seen the expansion of Perth-based
Sidey Ltd, by way of opening the doors to a newly developed show site.
[More
on this Story]
Status
Fabricator Triples Factory Space
A more than trebling of factory space is putting Status fabricator PLAS-tech
Windows & Conservatories firmly on the road to continuous expansion.
[More
on this Story]
ROTO
Rebuts Rumours
Roto has issued a statement rebutting various rumours circulating the
door and window industry that the company has gone into receivership.
[More
on this Story]
EC
Hopes to Unblock Delays to its PVC Strategy Report
The European Commission (EC) hopes to resolve the issues which are delaying
its promised communication on a future European Union (EU) strategy on
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), an EC representative said recently.
[More
on this Story]
Alcoa
Realigns Business to Better Serve Customers
Alcoa announced on September 16 that it has realigned its existing businesses
to provide a closer fit with customer needs in the automotive, aerospace,
and commercial transportation market sectors.
[More
on this Story]
THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 42 17th September 2002
Pilkington
Activ™ Launched in UK
With
the launch of Pilkington Activ™ the world's first self-cleaning glass,
glassmaker Pilkington has issued a challenge to the industry to harness
its revenue earning potential as a true, value added product. Extensive
research by Pilkington has discovered that consumers will in fact pay
up to 20% more for a glass which significantly reduces - and in some cases
completely eradicates - the need for window cleaning.
[More
on this Story]
The
Cinderella Bra supports a Glass Act
Not that we're obsessed with glass and boobs at The Gl@zine, but only
weeks after we reported on what we thought would be the last Silly Season
story of the year (Glass
art goes t*ts up and becomes 'booby prize' of 'Metric Martyrs'), we
managed to find another one! One of the first assignments of Triumph Japan's
new 'Campaign Girl' will be to model a specially crafted glass bra - and
it will fit only the ideal bust!
[More
on this Story]
Plimsoll
Publishing - The Battle for the Customer
Up to a fifth of the industry will suffer casualties in 'The Battle for
the Customer,' according to the latest Plimsoll Analysis on the UK Windows
& Doors industry.
[More
on this Story]
Stuga
sells Flowline number thirty-five
Stuga CNC Systems recently sold Flowline number thirty-five and is currently
installing number twenty-seven.
[More
on this Story]
Assa
pre-tax profits up in Q2
Assa has announced its Interim Report for the Second Quarter of 2002:
The highlights are as follows
[More
on this Story]
Kyro's
Profit Before Taxes Grew January-June
- Net sales was EUR 71.6 (76.7) million, while operating profit amounted
to EUR 7.6 (9.2) million or 10.6 % of net sales
- Pre-tax profit grew to EUR 7.8 (7.4) million or 10.8% of net sales
- Kyro Corporation acquired all shares of Uniglass Engineering Oy
[More
on this Story]
Glaverbel
Shuts Float Plant in Netherlands
Glaverbel has temporarily shut down its float plant at Tiel in the Netherlands
as it copes with continuing economic weakness.
[More
on this Story]
Work
begins on Reynaers Institute
Work has recently commenced on the new 'Reynaers Institute' in Belgium.
The project comprises various elements, including a learning centre, test
facilities and showrooms.
[More
on this Story]
Saved
From the Soft Stuff
A successful new start up could have gone completely the other way if
it were not for Business Micros stepping into the breach.
[More
on this Story]
European
Machinery Sales buys another Glasner
European Machinery Sales has installed a second large and fully automatic
computer controlled blasting booth from German manufacturer Glasner for
European Glass at its new works in Park Royal, London.
[More
on this Story]
Novaglaze
moves to bigger premises
Novaglaze the specialist bending and processing glass Company has moved
premises from Huddersfield to a new larger factory in Elland
[More
on this Story]
lndigo
Teams up with Spectus
lndigo, the Alridge-based fabricator, has signed a five year sole supply
agreement with Spectus to manufacture its Sightline 70 suite.
[More
on this Story]
Eurocell
help complete Totty Installation
Eurocell Building Plastics have recently been awarded a contract to supply
over 300m of SB300 tongue & groove soffit and Euroboard to Totty building
services Ltd.
[More
on this Story]
HiB
Just Gets Bigger and Better
A state of the art larger capacity warehouse has been on the shopping
list for HiB since last year, and now has become reality. All stock is
now housed in a new 27,000 square foot premises based in Tamworth, Staffs.
[More
on this Story]
Permadoor
commits to Secured By Design
Permadoor, the UK manufacturer of thermoplastic composite doors, is committed
to the police initiative, Secured By Design.
[More
on this Story]
John
Fredericks Sets the Wheels in Motion with Bigger Fleet
John Fredericks, one of the largest independent trade manufacturers of
PVCu windows, doors and conservatories, has enhanced its national distribution
chain to the installer network with the addition of new vehicles to its
growing fleet.
[More
on this Story]
Vitro
announces restructuring plan
Vitro reiterated the company's commitment to streamline operations, to
focus on the production, manufacturing and distribution of glass products,
divest non-core assets and strengthen its financial structure.
[More
on this Story]
Chester
Housing Trust partners with Sash UK
Following the successful conclusion of the window refurbishment of two
housing schemes by Sash UK Ltd on behalf of The Chester & District
Housing Trust, the Trust and Sash UK have now entered into a full partnering
agreement.
[More
on this Story]
Sound
absorbing Elephant
A customer who lives in a property on a busy road recently presented Elephant
Windows, the domestic division of Kent-based Piper Double Glazing, with
a problem.
[More
on this Story]
Minster
Steps up a Gear
York based Minster Windows has become the latest fabricator and stockist
of Ultraframe's roofing systems; in particular Victorian roofs and Ultralite
500 - the lean-to 'roof in a box'.
[More
on this Story]
THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 41 10th September 2002
Construction
Groups file Promising Results
Turnover at Costain for the half year to the end of June leapt up 23 per
cent to £252.4 million from £205.5 million for the same period
a year ago and the firm said it is confident its growth strategy is working.
Pre tax profits to June were up 2 per cent to £4.7 million from
£3.8 million last year and the group reported a return to operating
profits of £1 million compared to a loss of £3 million a year
earlier.
[More
on this Story]
Heywood
Williams interim results
Heywood Williams Group PLC announces its interim results for the half
year ended 30 June 2002
Highlights:
* Operating profit increased by 56% to £11.2m (2001: £7.2m)
* Pre-tax profit increased by 67% to £10.0 million (2001: £6.0m)
* EPS increased by 79% to 8.6p (2001: 4.8p)
* Due to previously announced exceptional charge, net pre-tax loss £1.8m
(2001: £2.8 million profit)
* Interim dividend maintained at 5.25p
[More
on this Story]
HW
Systems Helps AWS Group with Expansion Plans
HW Systems fabricator, AWS Group has joined forces with local installation
company Betterglaze Windows Ltd to supply windows and doors manufactured
from the HW70 suite exclusively in the locality.
[More
on this Story]
Warmdor™
gets Seal of Approval
In a bid to create the ultimate composite residential door North East
England window, door and conservatory fabricator and installer Warmseal
has joined forces with door panel manufacturer Hallmark Group. The result
is Warmdor
[More
on this Story]
Basta
Buys Arthur Shaw to Make it a Hat Trick
Basta, the lrish based manufacturer of hardware fittings for doors and
windows, has purchased the tooling from the Receivers of Arthur Shaw Manufacturing
Limited. Shaw who has had a troubled recent history, was recently put
into receivership.
[More
on this Story]
Darby
Glass Invests in Automation
Darby Glass Limited, the independent glass processor, has started a major
investment programme in automated equipment, designed to meet the needs
of the glazing industry once Document L is fully implemented.
[More
on this Story]
Charlie
Clocks up Conservatory Showroom Opening
Deceuninck fabricator Taylormade Windows and Conservatories recently held
the official opening of its new £1 million conservatory showroom.
Central TV weather girl Charlie Neal did the honours, cutting the ribbons
into one of the biggest showrooms in the UK.
[More
on this Story]
Technoform
to set up base in Great Britain and Ireland
German-based Technoform Bautec GmbH, manufacturers of polyamide thermal
break insulating strips for aluminium windows has appointed a full-time
representative for Great Britain and Ireland.
[More
on this Story]
Major
Investment Enables MT2000 to Offer Full Range
MT2000 (Extrusions) Ltd recently announced a major investment in two state
of the art external windowsill tools. The new 85mm and 180mm devices complete
a full suite of tools with MT2000's existing 150mm section, enabling the
company to offer the full range of external window cill profiles. MT2000
is now able to offer its customers a 'one-stop' shop for all product needs.
[More
on this Story]
Investments
at the Window Factory
Using
the Brickmate cavity closer from Status Systems, the Window Factory makes
it simple for housebuilders to fulfil all legislative requirements for
fenestration while maintaining aesthetic roadside appeal.
[More
on this Story]
Bombay
Sapphire Student Design Competition Winner
Anna Pickering, a graduate in Three Dimensional Design at Manchester Metropolitan
University, recently scooped the £2,000 first prize in the final
of the Bombay Sapphire Martini Glass Design Competition for students.
[More
on this Story]
Synseal
creates new Product Display Area
'Glassex Comes to Synseal!', says the PVC-U systems company, having created
a new Product Display Area within the head office facility that the company
acquired last September. Incorporating three conservatories, all at different
stages of installation, there are also hand samples available for products
like the frame to eave turnbuckle fixing.
[More
on this Story]
Oakbay
Rises Fighting From the Bunker
An old Second World War bunker which until recently housed a training
range for police firearms, is now the home for a new start Status fabricator
Oakbay Windows. Director Frank Loughlin has completely renovated the semi-subterranean
space to create a state of the art window fabrication unit that went into
operation this spring.
[More
on this Story]
Malbern
Windows – Making the Change to Eurocell
Based just off the new M60 Manchester Ring Road in Denton, Malbern Windows
is ideally situated to supply retail and trade customers from its site.
Stuart Kenyon, Wayne Clarke and Paul Thackeray originally set up Droylsden
Glass Ltd in 1981 as a uPVC window installer.
[More
on this Story]
Building
on Rok's firm foundation
An improved performance by conservatory specialist Spaceage has helped
its parent company Rok property solutions plc to record rises in turnover,
which was up 20% to £66.8m (2001: £55.5m) and pre tax profits,
up 47% to £1.8m (2001: £1.2m).
[More
on this Story]
MPH
Windows- The Next Generation
Preston-based company - MPH Windows has appointed Russell Milburn as its'
new Managing Director. His father Harold Milburn handed over the keys
to his son recently, after a career spanning 33 years with MPH Windows.
Harold Milburn founded the company in 1969 jointly with John Platt and
Bert Higginbottom.
[More
on this Story]
Glass
UK Introduces 10-Year Guarantee
Glass UK, the UK manufacturer of cast laminated glass and oversize double-glazed
units, has doubled its guarantee on double glazed units to 10 years, following
investment in the very latest manufacturing technology.
[More
on this Story]
Alcoa
to build New Smelter in Eastern Iceland
Alcoa Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government
of Iceland and Landsvirkjun, Iceland's national power company, formalising
their cooperation on a 295,000-metric-ton-per-year, low-emission aluminum
smelter to be built in eastern Iceland. The MOU was signed in Reykjavik,
Iceland.
[More
on this Story]
CGI
International on the Ball
Specialist fire glass manufacturer CGI International players acquitted
themselves well at the GGF’s London and South East Golf Society Tournament
held at the Finchley Golf Club in July.
[More
on this Story]
lnvestment
Lightens the Load at Howarth
Investment in a bespoke top of the range combi lift truck at Howarth Windows
and Doors has lightened the load for the men and women working at the
New Holland factory.
[More
on this Story]
Jack
Charlton Checks Out Hurst's Latest 'Signings'
Football legend Jack Charlton scored with employees of Hurst Plastics
when he visited the company's Hull site to hand over the keys for a new
fleet of delivery vehicles.
[More
on this Story]
THE GL@ZINE ISSUE 40 3rd September 2002
Deceuninck's
operating income increases by 24.9% in the first half
In a weak world economy, Deceuninck Group, worldwide manufacturer of PVCu
window systems and building profiles, has managed to increase its volume
of sales by 10%. Sales in the first half amounted to EUR 178 million,
a nominal growth of 4.5%.
[More
on this Story]
The
Attack of the Killer Caterpillars!!!
It could have been a scene from a 1950s B movie - the walls were covered
in a writhing mass of brown hairy bodies. They were dropping from the
bushes like windfall apples. Was this some Hicksville farm in the middle
of the Kansas plains awaiting the invasion of creatures from outer space.
[More
on this Story]
Glaverbel
Group: Results in Line with Forecasts
Against the background of a weak economy, the Glaverbel Group recorded
a slight fall in its net result (down 5%) and in its gross operating cash-flow
(down 2%) during the first half of 2002 compared with the same period
last year.
[More
on this Story]
Scott
Launches Masterglaze
Following the success of Cambrian Conservatory World, Andrew Scott has
launched Masterglaze Factory Outlet Centres, a new counter business aimed
at the local retail, trade and DIY markets in Wales.
[More
on this Story]
BHD
Group to Launch an Ultra Low Cost Conservatory Range
A range of quality, ultra low cost conservatories is to be launched by
the BHD Group - the manufacturer of modular conservatories.
[More
on this Story]
Shepley's
Keeping a Close Eye on Changing Rooms
Shepley is in close touch with its customers and firmly believe that the
product range it offers needs to be a reflection of current market needs.
Towards this the company recently carried out a survey of a random sample
of customers investigating the market demand and saleability of silver
handles, and is now offering this addition to its window hardware range.
[More
on this Story]
Trade
Building Plastics
TBP has now been a sub-stockist of Eurocell Building Plastics for over
five years, after initially seeing the Product Range at Glassex in 1998.
David Haines and his partner Peter Lambe stock the whole Eurocell range
from their 7000sq ft. outlet in Witney near Oxford just off the A40.
[More
on this Story]
How
to Guard Yourself Against the Second Hand Blues
Newly appointed GTI-Kombimatec Sales Director Ian Wheatley has issued
a warning to customers on the perils of buying second hand machinery,
providing a list of guidelines for those looking to invest in used models.
[More
on this Story]
Investment
Boosts Performing Seals
Alfas Industries Ltd is investing in new production capacity to meet growing
demand for its specialist sealants used in the glass, glazing, building
and construction industries.
[More
on this Story]
Conservaglass™
gets Demonstrative
Ultraframe, the international designer and manufacturer of conservatory
systems has launched a new marketing support package for Conservaglass™,
the new innovation in sealed units.
[More
on this Story]
HW
PLASTICS SIGN INDIAN AGREEMENT
HW Plastics Limited, the UK PVC Window Systems manufacturer, has signed
a technology transfer agreement with Shriram Polytech Limited of India.
[More
on this Story]
Dempsey
Wins Further Contracts
Deceuninck fabricator Dempsey Dyer has recently completed a supply and
install contract for Halifax based Southdale Homes involving 400 units
of an average eight windows per house.
[More
on this Story]
New
CGI International Factory
Well on the way towards its December 2002 opening is the new purpose built
factory, at Haydock, Merseyside, UK, for fire-glass manufacturer, CGI
International Limited.
[More
on this Story]
Patiomaster
now in North West
Patiomaster has strengthened its regional fabricator base with the appointment
of Patiomaster North West based in West Yorkshire.
[More
on this Story]
Revolutionary
Glass Anchor Makes World Debut on Facade in London
An undercut glass anchor, which fixes glazing panels without the fixings
penetrating through the glass, has made its debut in a prestigious new
development at Century House, Westminster Bridge Road, London.
[More
on this Story]
'New
Flat Building Lowers Window and Door Markets' says Palmer
Palmer's latest report on the £400 million market for Windows, Doors
and Conservatories in British New House Building expresses concern that
the vigorous trend towards the building of flats will restrict the window
market over the next few years.
[More
on this Story]