Major glass launch from Ultraframe

ONE of the biggest launches so far of this year’s show was a new glazing system specifically designed for conservatories, unveiled by Ultraframe managing director Nick Gale.

"We didn’t want to get into the glass market in a conventional way," Nick Gale told a press conference yesterday. "But we were keen to develop a product that would tackle the specific needs of conservatories because we understand the heating and cooling problems – how they get too hot in summer and too cold in winter."

Known as Conservaglass, the new product has an impressive range of consumer benefits, including a unique transparent solar reflective coating that keeps out excessive heat in summer. It also has a u-value of just 1.1 which, says the company, keeps in more heat in the winter than any other sealed unit currently on the market.

Conservaglass also comes with another external coating, called Easyclean that makes rainwater slide off the units and helps keep them smear-free. As an aid to installers, the units also come with ‘Peelclean’ film, which protects both surfaces, and saves hours of clean down time after installation, and as an aid to sales Conservaglass comes with an impressive 20-year guarantee.

Other Ultraframe innovations for 2002 include an innovative curved glass roof, which allows an almost seamless ellipse from the conservatory roof down the side of the structure. This extends the potential applications of the new roof substantially, to include balconies and many otherwise hard-to-convert areas.

It also enables the design to get away from the traditional Victorian and Edwardian-style sun rooms to something much more comtemporary and flexible. The roof has a curved aluminium exterior; curved sealed glass units in the middle and a real timber finish inside. The effect is altogether more modern than any of the other conservatories on show at Glassex this year, and fitted well with the laminate flooring and Ikea-style contemporary furniture displayed with it. You can see the Conservaglass and curved glass roof on the Ultraframe stand at BO15.

Mila launch central locking system for homes

The UK’s first affordable central locking system for homes was launched at Glassex yesterday by hardware specialist Mila. Centra-Lock is, claim the makers, practical and easy-to-fit.

It works much like a car’s central locking system, via a small, hand-held transponder unit. The electronics on the windows and doors are housed in discreet units that can be fitted retrospectively.
The system can work simply for a front entrance door, on a selection of doors, or as a fully integrated system on doors and windows throughout a house. The system monitors itself every hour to ensure that all the links are operating correctly, and runs on batteries that automatically give a warning a month before they need to be replaced.

Also available as an add-on feature are smoke detectors that immediately unlock doors and windows in the event of a fire. For a demonstration of how it works, visit the Mila stand at CO26.

System-X unveiled

Panels Plus have finally been tempted to branch out from exclusively making door panels – and used Glassex 2002 to reveal its first composite door.

Known as System-X it’s ingeniously flexible – able to fit into and be colour-matched to 95pc of existing doorframe systems.

A true composite door, the core is made of EPS or micro-foam, and the external veneer either of PVC-U or coloured Compax. The PVC-U comes in seven shades of white, while the Compax is available in red, blue, green and a number of realistic wood effects.

The complete System-X range consists of seven different designs and a plain flat door, although matching side panels and further options are in the pipeline. Any of the existing Panels Plus glass effects can be applied to System-X.

To see the full range, visit the Panels Plus stand at EO41.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE FOR HARDWARE COMPANIES

Siegenia and Aubi - two of Europe's major hardware companies - have announced plans to enter into a strategic alliance from 2003. Whilst the move will result in joint development work on new product concepts in due course, initially at least the move will have no impact on the two companies' UK business and marketing strategies.

Both businesses are ultimately owned by the Siegen-based Siegenia Frank organisation. Siegenia was founded in the German town in 1914, and now has over 1200 employees throughout Europe. In the UK it is best known for its tilt & turn products and increasingly for its intelligent ventilation ranges. Aubi, based in Hermeskeil in Southern Germany, was acquired by the group in 1998 but has always, until now, been maintained as an entirely separate business.

In the UK, both businesses supply via separate distributor networks and, says Siegenia's UK GM Leann Hearne, that arrangement will continue. 'Siegenia is currently the stronger of the two brands in the UK but each has its own distinct market niche and identity. Our focus will remain on strengthening our relationships with distributors to ensure that they can continue to provide the market with the right product at the right price and service level.'

Siegenia has been responsible for the introduction of several of major hardware developments in the UK in recent months, including the launch of its E-Look and TS-Look products, and a number of innovative patio gear initiatives, which are already impacting on the market.

'The distinctive image we have created for each business is something on which we plan to build,' says Leann. 'In the future, we may work together on new product initiatives which will utilise the combined expertise of the two established companies to deliver even better products to the UK's window industry.'