A New View on Windows

An new window system that could make life easier for the occupants of buildings, buses and trains, has been developed and patented by Wakefield based company, ICW (UK) Ltd Modular
Glazing Systems.

The new ICW window system utilises a touch sensitive damped cam mechanism which provides a simple 'press to open / press to close' operation, and will be especially useful for the elderly or physically disadvantaged. Taking into account the often neglected needs of unsighted or partially sighted persons, the new window can also incorporate an embossed braille operating message.

The concept recently won its inventor, Margaret Wood, Managing Director of ICW, an award in the Women Inventors in Industry category of the British Female Inventor of the Year Award. Margaret's idea was developed with support from Professor Graham Cockerham and the product development team at Sheffield Hallam University who worked with ICW's engineers to patent the design, obtain a DTI MicroSMART grant in order to fund the product's development, and also to undertake the work necessary to turn the idea into a final, working prototype.

Commenting on the new product, Margaret Wood says:
'We recognised the need to make such windows easier for everyone to use, and we're convinced that this ease of use will improve the experience people have, either when they're living and working in buildings that have these windows fitted, or when they're travelling on buses and trains.'

ICW produce window frames and window products for commercial applications, including clean enclosures, cabs, control rooms, and transport windows. They produce products specifically tailored to meeting clients needs, and have the skills and production resources to deliver customised solutions to glazed installations from cranes to buses trains to acoustic enclosures. All aspects of the project from design, fabrication and installation can be undertaken for clients.

Contact: Margaret Wood
Tel: 01924 260106

Rare Anglo-Saxon Glass Bowl Survives Burial for 1400 Years


A rare glass bowl, dating from the late fifth or early sixth century, has been retrieved intact by an English Heritage conservator from a magnificent collection of grave goods unearthed in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in the New Forest area of Hampshire. The graves were excavated by Time Team for a live Channel 4 broadcast in August 2001, after a metal detectorist discovered a Byzantine brass bucket at the site and reported it to Winchester Museum.

In what is thought to be a unique combination, the bowl, which was probably imported all the way from the Rhineland, was found inside one of six wooden buckets buried with skeletons in the graves. The fragile vessel, pale green with delicate white trails on the outside, measuring about five inches across and one and a half inches high, was a miraculous survivor not only of its travels from abroad but of a sumptuous pagan burial rite, most likely symbolic of feasting. It was discovered at English Heritage's Centre for Archaeology at Fort Cumberland in Portsmouth, where the excavated artefacts have been analysed and conserved.

For conservator Margaret Brooks the discovery of the glass bowl hidden in hard clay at the bottom of the bucket was a high point in her career. Just retiring after 20 years with English Heritage, she said: 'I couldn't believe it when I first spotted the delicate green glass of the bowl, which was completely unexpected as none have ever been found in buckets before. It was a thrilling experience to tease it gradually from its hiding place and realise it was in one piece.'

The objects from the graves were analysed in Fort Cumberland's high-tech XRF spectrometer. This X-ray analysis technique is ideal for archaeology because items can be placed whole inside the machine and they are not damaged in the process. Directed at small areas, less than half a millimetre in diameter, the X-rays can almost instantly determine the composition of the material.
Examination of the glass bowl revealed that the glass, made up of soda, lime and silica, had been melted in a furnace and inflated and shaped on the end of a blowing iron. Opaque white trails (coloured with tin and lead) were added below the rim and pressed into the glass. The style is Frankish, simpler than that produced by more sophisticated Roman techniques such as enamelling and engraving. This particular kind of bowl is mostly found in the Rhineland and rarely appears in Britain.

The public will be able to see the artefacts recovered from the site in a special ‘Invaders' exhibition which will travel round Hampshire, starting in May at Andover Museum.

After the Roman armies left Europe Frankish tribes who gained dominance in the north, especially Germany and Belgium, employed a new style of glassware with a simpler form of decoration which could be carried out at a furnace by the glass-maker. The elite of Anglo-Saxon society still appreciated glass vessels and imported them from the continent as prestige objects. There is also evidence for manufacture of glass in Britain at this time. The vessels are found in high status graves but are frequently damaged. Buckets are known from a number of sites in the eastern half of the country where the Anglo-Saxons settled, though generally only one or two per cemetery have been found.

Web: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

MPS Windows Signs Major Machine Deal with Promac

Profile 22 fabricator, MPS Windows concluded a machinery deal to cope with extra demand.


Managing Director of the Exmouth-based company, Malcolm Sansom, took delivery of the Promac Sameco 803NTD three-headed turret welder from Promac's Sales Manager, Alex Main.

Profile 22 's Technical Support Manager, Lawson Price, provided valuable advice on optimum factory layout before the arrival of the new machinery.

The deal aimost doubles weekly frame capacity for MPS where factory space has recently increased by a third. Moving into the next door premises has given the company a total 15,000 sq ft of production and office space.

'This growth reflects the success of MPS' retail sales team and the popularity of the Profile 22 system among homeowners who value its aesthetics. Equally, growth has been aided by the simplicity of the Profile 22 system to both manufacture and fit, boosting the factory's efficiency and capacity.' says Malcolm, who founded the firm in 1990.

'The company has grown consistently and steadily through positive structure. We needed to increase our production to meet demand, yet still maintain high quality. Consequently, we're expecting to take on up to ten extra people by the summer.'

Also planned is a conservatory village featuring a range of styles in the Exmouth area and a sealed unit manufacturing facility on site. Due to rising retail sales, MPS is expecting to open a new retail branch within the next 12 months.

The company has undergone recent restructuring to reflect its more professional approach with key personnel managing each department. They are: June McCann (sales); Dave Tidball (conservatory installations); Mark Needham (window and door installations); Richard White (building); Simon Rowden (commercial).

Continues Malcolm: 'Another significant move for us was increasing our in-house building department dealing with conservatory bases and patios. This is a growing and busy area for us.'
He adds: 'We have a close-knit team culture here and we work hard at promoting a friendly and co-operative working environment. Thanks to this and help from Profile 22 in developing our future strategy, we have built up a loyal and stable workforce which has helped the company to grow into the successful business it is today.'

Contact: Keith White
Tel: 01952 290910
Web: http://www.profile22.co.uk

New Report on Stainless Fixings Rings Alarm Bells

Most professionals in the building and window fabrication industries work on the assumption that stainless steel fixings will offer a structurally safe and corrosion free life, even when used in aggressive environmental conditions.

It's a view, which has been encouraged by the British and European manufacturers of high quality stainless steel fixings, and in fact it's quite true when applied to their products. The problem is that there are a great variety of stainless steel types and the specification of alloy and hardness can radically affect the performance of a fixing.

A new report from the State run Materials Testing Institute in Darmstadt, Germany investigates fasteners typically used in construction applications. Fasteners manufactured from modified martensitic and austenitic stainless steel were subjected to alternating corrosion conditions according to DIN 50021-SS and DIN 50018-KWF 2,0. The clamping action placed the fasteners under equal tensile loads, independent of each fasteners tensile strength. This was to determine their susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking.

At the end of the testing procedure, up to 90% of the martensitic stainless steel drilling and tapping screws failed due to hydrogen induced stress corrosion cracking. The fasteners manufactured from austenitic materials bore identical test conditions without cracking or evidence of the beginning of cracking.

It was concluded that the fasteners manufactured from modified martensitic stainless steel represent a safety risk in any application, even if corrosion resistance requitements are minimal.

Mike Nelson of Ejot comments, 'There is an enormous quantity of martensitic stainless steel fixings available in UK, most ofwhich have been imported from the Far East, so this report will be of interest to all specifiers and contractors involved in the cladding, roofing and window industries. We are very concerned at the prospect of all stainless steel fasteners being tarred with the same brush and so are making this report freely available direct from Ejot. At the very least we would exhort all users to ask direct questions about stainless steel of their fixings suppliers - the good ones will give the right answers.'

Tel: 0113 247 0880
Email: mailto:sales@ejot.co.uk
Web: http://www.ejot.co.uk

Up and Up and Up...

Business Micros has increased its turnover for the fourth year running. The software provider, which was bought out last autumn by Graeme Bailey and Jim Cronie, has increased its customer base to over 1900 fabricators - representing a 10 per cent rise in the six months since the acquisition.

'Much of this success is down to the consistently high level of quality after sales care and support, combined with superior technical expertise and the fact that we have an exceptionally strong working knowledge of the window industry - a knowledge that is applied to all our products,' said Business Micros director Graeme Bailey. 'We make a point of carrying out regular customer satisfaction ratings and a dissatisfied Business Micros user is indeed a rare thing.'

Business Micros recently launched the latest version of its Winstar Evolution manufacturing software to much acclaim at Glassex 2002.

Tel: 01848 330588
Email: mailto:info@businessmicros.co.uk
Web: http://www.businessmicros.co.uk

Synseal Steps up to Million Pound a Week Sales

The week beginning the 11th March was a red letter one for Synseal Extrusions Ltd. Total orders that week were in excess of £1.1 million. Turnover in the weeks since then has proved that this was not a flash in the pan with sales topping £1 million a week every week.

Nick Dutton, Sales and Marketing Director comments: 'We are obviously delighted. In the last twelve months we've been gaining ground with a steady influx of new customers for the Shield window system. The launch of the Shield conservatory system has also boosted sales this year. It seems our new products have struck the right note with customers.'

Coming soon after the latest Plimsoll report put Synseal Holdings in the top ten biggest companies in the window industry with 35.7% growth last year, Synseal confirmed its sixth consecutive million pound week and released further details. Nick Dutton, Sales and Marketing Director comments: 'Synseal's growth was strong throughout 2001. Quarterly sales increases - compared with the previous quarter - were 18.9% in the first quarter of 2001, 19.5% in quarter two, 22.6% in quarter three and 17.9% in the last three months of the year. Early indications for 2002 show this trend continuing, with especially strong take up of the Shield Conservatory System.

'Naturally we have had to take on more people to support this growth, and we moved to a bigger factory last year. The number of employees has gone up from 221 in April 2000, to 244 in April 2001, and our total payroll is 370 now. Growth has come from existing customers who are surging ahead and from new business. Eighty new fabricators switched to Synseal Shield in 2001 contributing an additional £6 million of sales. Fabricators seem to like our policy of innovation, quality and right first time service.'

Tel: (01623) 443 200
Web: http://www.synseal.com

Increased Manufacturing for VS

A rise in demand for top of the range WHS Halo PVCu vertical sliding windows manufactured by VS UK has necessitated a move to larger premises. The company has seen sales more than double since the beginning of the year.

Established over 12 months ago, VS UK has been well positioned to respond quickly and efficiently to the increasing interest in and demand for vertical sliding windows. It remains a specialised manufacturer of vertical sliders, removing all stock, production and delivery issues for the fabricator and installer.

'The replacement of replacement windows market is heavily geared towards improving the aesthetics of the installation, and vertical sliders are increasingly being used to update their bulky and cumbersome, old fashioned fixed pane predecessors,' said VS director David Richards. 'VS has simplified the whole procedure for the industry. Whether you are a fabricator or installer, local authority specifier or housing association, a simple call to Katie or Rachel working in our customer services team will lead to the best in vertical sliding solutions.'

The WHS Halo PVCu vertical sliding sash window from VS UK is manufactured using a sculptured detailing that mirrors the traditional design of timber. The outer frame, available at 133mm or 146.5mm, is sculptured inside and out, with matching detail on the sashes. A deep bottom rail replicates the design of traditional timber sliding sash windows. Georgian bars can be fixed both internally and externally as required. The finishing touch for a traditional look is the addition of decorative horns fitted to the bottoms of the top sash.

This traditional look comes with up to date security window fittings and hardware.

Caldwell spring balances ensure a smooth vertical sliding action. For ease of cleaning from inside, both sashes can be inwardly tilted.

Contact: Katie
Tel: 01625 412558
Email: mailto:sales@vsuk.freeserve.co.uk

Schott Aims for Guinness Book of Records With Biggest Glass-Ceramic Cooktop

At 3.20 x 1.20 meters it is fourteen times bigger than a standard cooktop and it has more than 40 cooking zones: With the biggest ever glass-ceramic cooktop Schott has its sights on an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

The official decision will not come until next year, but the international technology concern did not want to wait that long before revealing its achievement. On the occasion of the ceremony to celebrate the 50 millionth 'Ceran' glass-ceramic cooktop in Mainz on April 17, 2002 Frank Buchholz, the well-known chef from the 'VOX-Kochduell' (VOX Dueling Chefs) television program, cooked for the guests on the record piece of glass-ceramic.

To manufacture this unique item called for a high degree of precision. As it was no thicker than a normal panel, which is only 4 mm, the record-sized cooktop was as flexible as a sheet of paper. If, by way of comparison, the cooktop were shrunk to the standard size it would only be 0.3 mm thick.
One particular challenge that the record cooker presented was the enormous amount of power it required which, at about 65 kW, was roughly the amounted needed by a detached house. A special power line had to be installed for it about 100 meters long.

Tel. +49 (0) 6131 66-36 62
Email: mailto:klaus.hofmann@schott.com

Three Year Supply Deal

The Whiteline Group, based at Eastbourne, uses two Kömmerling systems - the Gold 58mm suite, and the new Connoisseur Gold 70mm suite - mainly for the retail/domestic market place via their network of Goldline Specialists in Southern England, and has now cemented the partnership with a three-year agreement.

Tony Hughes is pictured (left) with Winfried Tänzer, of Kömmerling's global management team, commemorating the three-year supply agreement.

Tony Hughes, Managing Director of the Whiteline Group, says a consistent and strong partnership with Kömmerling enables his company to generate a strong link with their own customers.

'We're able to bring out products with USPs which our customers need, thereby increasing our market share, This has been proven through our achievement over the last few years - 30 per cent year-on-year growth in what is now recognised as a declining market. We've agreed a three-year deal with Kömmerling primarily because of the excellent quality of the profile, the reliable service, and because we can work closely as business partners.'

Whiteline was the first fabricator to manufacture Kömmerling's classically curved ovolo system, which was launched at Glassex. Says Tony Hughes: 'Building on the Whiteline Group's reputation for providing frames exactly tailored to match market requirements, our new Coldline 70 ovolo window extends customer choice by providing installers with a stylish altemative to the standard bevelled profile.'

The group currently has capacity to produce 3,000 frames a week. It modifies the existing Kömmerling Gold 58mm profile with its own unique 'Slim' casement window sash and bevelled and ovolo glazing beads with low co-extruded gaskets, to produce its Goldline brand.

Tel: 01323 723724
Email: mailto:sales@whiteline.ndo.co.uk
Web: http://www.whitelinewindows.com

Penicuik Make the Switch to Spectus

Scottish fabricator Penicuik has just signed a £5m, 5 year, exclusive contact with Spectus Systems. Spectus will supply the full range of window and cladding profile to suit Penicuik's residential and commercial customer base and will also be sourcing roofline products and hardware from other companies within the Heywood Williams Group.

The deal is the culmination of some profitable co-operation between the two companies: 'Spectus has helped us break into the commercial curtain walling market' says Penicuik Chairman Bob Tennant. 'The company gave us great technical support on our first commercial cladding project and it makes sense also to source the window profile section from the same systems company.'

Spectus is equally pleased. Sales and Marketing Director Mike Dunlevy said 'We are delighted to be working with a company of the calibre of Penicuik and this is a particularly good fit for us as we have been seeking a route into the residential sector in central and southern Scotland.'

Penicuik operates from nine outlets across central and southern Scotland. Traditionally strong in the residential window, roofline and conservatory market, Penicuik is seeing further growth in conservatories and also in commercial work during 2001 - 2002 - most notably refurbishment projects involving a total facade replacement - hence the use of Spectus' curtain walling system.
Penicuik manufactures all its products from its sole manufacturing base in Penicuik, Midlothian.

Tel: 01625 420400

Photo: Penicuik Chairman Bob Tennant (left) shaking hands with Spectus Sales And Marketing Director Mike Dunlevy.

Glass Reinforcements Ensure the Traditional Comfort of Japanese Bathtime

Traditionally, when bathing, the Japanese wash and rinse off and only then get into their bath. This is filled with extremely hot water, between 40 and 50°C, which is usually used by all the members of the family. It is therefore kept at the same temperature for a long time, using a gas heating system.

Hence the need to use a glass reinforcement resistant to heat and time. Saint-Gobain Renforcement has made a successful entry into this composites market.

In order to come up with an adequate glass reinforcement (a roving for the Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) process), Saint-Gobain Vetrotex had to use its imagination. An international project group was formed, made up of French, Italian, American, Japanese, Korean and Thai.

They came not only from the Research and Development departments, but also from the factories, with the aim of going from laboratory test stage to marketing stage under the best possible conditions. This project produced the 5225 SMC roving. Created exclusively for the Japanese market, it gives two major properties to the baths it is used to reinforce: resistance to boiling water and an attractive surface quality (no porosity or glass yarn that shows at the surface of the moulded part). Produced in Thailand and well positioned in the Far East, it makes Saint-Gobain Renforcement the only non-Japanese glass reinforcement manufacturer to sell an SMC roving for bathroom applications.

Coldseal's Founder in the Frame Again

Ivor Jacobs, Coldseal's founder and driving force, grew sales at Coldseal to £100m in 8 years and sold out to Heywood Williams plc. He then 'retired' and turned his attention to roofline, which is his next big venture.

Jacobs joined the Nottingham-based roofline company Fascia Mania in March 2001. As marketing director, he is applying the same expertise that made Coldseal such a success. Ivor Jacobs also saw the company as a sound investment opportunity.

The Fascia Mania team - (left to right) Ivor Jacobs, Clyde Scothern, Ian Davis and Andy Scothern.

Fascia Mania, based in Nottingham, earned third place in the Inner City 100 Index. This project is run by the New Economics Foundation and backed by both the Bank of Scotland and NatWest. It focuses on enterprise-led regeneration in 14 British cities, and the award ceremony is held at 10 Downing Street with Gordon Brown presiding.

Established in 1995 by brothers Clyde and Andy Scothern, Fascia Mania offers replacement PVCu fascias, soffits, bargeboards and guttering. Most of their work is in the domestic market, although they have completed projects for local authorities and housing associations. The company has seen substantial growth, with turnover rocketing from £900,000 in 2000 to £3.3m in 2001 with budgeted sales of £6 million in 2002.

The rapid expansion meant more managerial direction and financial investment was required, resulting in Ivor Jacobs' appointment. Ian Oavis also joined the team in March 2001, as sales director.

Fascia Mania plans an extensive development programme over the next couple of years, which includes doubling the workforce and opening new showrooms throughout the Midlands region. Current showrooms are in Oadby, Lincoln and Daybrook, with another opening soon in Hucknall.

Clyde Scothern comments: 'By the end of this year we will probably be the largest, and the fastest-growing, roofline company in the UK. We believe there is immense scope for roofline in the market, and with the investment we've made in people, training, presentation and equipment, our quality, service and value for money lead the market.'

Contact: Clyde Scothern
Tel: 01159 83400
Email: mailto:mail@fasciamania.co.uk

Shepley's Conservatory Roofs are Number One

Shepley Window Systems celebrates the end of its first year of offering customers a one-stop-shop for all elements of conservatories, with the anniversary of its conservatory roof division.

Shepley expanded into conservatory roofs last year and the response, as predicted by managing director Gary Torr, has been extremely positive. Gary explained, 'The popularity of the one-stop-shop service is not surprising with benefits such as pricing, ordering, delivery and after-sales support all being supplied by the same company, at the high standard our customers have come to expect.'

Shepley currently produces around 35 roofs per week and Steve Hacking, general manager of the roof division, forecasts an increase in production to around 60 per week by the end of this year. Steve commented, 'We have recently invested a six figure sum in state-of-the-art machinery to fabricate our conservatory roofs, but as well as the best quality product, our customers benefit from our comprehensive support package, including same-day pricing, A CAD drawing facility, and on-site assistance and training.

'Underlining Shepley's commitment to our customers, we are also in the process of setting up a training facility offering a broad range of training courses including installation and surveying. The purpose of this is to ensure our customers understand our product and its capabilities, helping them deliver the best possible service to the homeowner.'

Tel: 0161 339 2433
Website: http://www.shepley.com

Thermoseal Combats Polysulphide Shortage

In view of the shortage of polysulphide, the Thermoseal Group, the UK’s fastest growing manufacturer and supplier of machinery and consumables to the double glazing industry, offers an alternative sealant.

Potential customers have the opportunity to try the European market leading GD677 Polyurethane manufactured by Kömmerling in Germany.

The sealant is supplied running on a new state-of-the-art Hydraulic mix and dispensing machine so that there is no interruption to normal production. GD677 Polyurethane is used by some of the largest I.G manufacturers in Europe and comes with a 10 year insurance backed warranty against adhesion failure.

To arrange a trial and a consultation with a technician from Kömmerling please call Thermoseal on 0121-331 3950

Or check the website: http://www.thermosealgroup.com

Mila CPD Seminars: Window & Door Hardware - A Lifetime Approach?

Window and door hardware manufacturer and distributor Mila has developed a series of seminars aimed at architects and other specifiers, with the intention of assisting such groups to improve their knowledge of how best to specify hardware, particularly when intended for use with PVCu framing and other 'maintenance free' framing materials.

In reality, says Mila, use of the term 'maintenance free' for PVCu windows and doors is a misnomer, although they should attract extremely low maintenance costs compared to traditional materials. In this context, a common oversight by specifiers is the lack of attention given to the specification of hardware, which, if poorly considered, may result in unbudgeted costs for repair or even replacement, well within the planned life of the windows and doors.

The Mila seminars intend to redress these issues by offering advice on the criteria for selecting the right type of hardware fittings for windows and doors, and how to plan and sustain maintenance programmes to ensure the maximum, sustained performance of the fittings. The course also makes recommendations on how best to meet the requirements of the relevant British and industry standards for safety, security and performance, while satisfying the statutory requirements of Best Value through adopting a whole-life cost approach.

Independently assessed to qualify for Continual Professional Development (CPD) status, 'Window & Door Hardware - A Lifetime Approach?' is suitable for specifiers operating within the social housing sectors, including officers of local authorities and housing associations.

The seminars will be held at Mila's Daventry headquarters, which are placed close to the M1 motorway in Northamptonshlre, or may be organised for organisations requiring the attendance of several staff at their own premises.

Tel: 01327 872511
Email: mailto:sales@mila.co.uk
Web: http://www.mila.co.uk

The Driving Force Behind AG Glass

AG Glass Distribution Manager, Peter Muscroft proudly boasts, 'Since the distribution department moved into a purpose built extension, covering an area of 13,500 square feet, our on time completion and delivery of orders has been refined to an even greater extent.

'As with the entire staff, the drivers have responded with great enthusiasm to the recent exciting changes made throughout the company. Just one man loads the fleet, and the drivers are in position to make their first deliveries by 7am each day.

'The delivery fleet comprises 5 Mercedes Benz articulated vehicles and an 18 tonne vehicle. All of which are sign written in our distinctive corporate colours.

'We cover over 500,000 kilometres per year and deliver over 14,000 tonnes of DGU to our varied customer base.

'We have the carrying capacity of 4500 Double Glazed Units per day on a stillaged delivery to our customers, extending from Humberside to Lancashire and Yorkshire to South Wales, with timed deliveries for customer satisfaction.

'This is to maintain our motto of ‘Delivered on time every time’.'

Tel: 01226 356500
Email: mailto:info@ag-glass.co.uk
Web: http://www.ag-glass.co.uk

Uniglaze 2 Reports Increased Productivity

Norwich based sealed unit manufacturer Uniglaze 2 Ltd has reported a significant upturn in productivity following its purchase of a UKae AKT98-E semi-automated Georgian stapling table and saw station (pictured below).

Uniglaze 2's Manufacturing Director Mick Hunton describes the new, fully computerised table as 'state of the art' and believes that its installation has resulted in a considerable increase in productivity:

'Since the new UKae table was installed last September, we've seen a sharp increase in the number of Georgian units we can produce in a day. Because the new table is automated, we no longer need to measure or guide the Georgian bar manually, which saves us a massive amount of time and produces a better quality end product. It has been a very worthwhile investment for us.'

The saw station, which includes an automatic digital back-stop linked with software, enables accurate and clean cutting of Georgian profiles in preparation for assembly and stapling.

The UKae AKT98-EP Georgian stapling table incorporates an automatic measuring and locating system for Georgian bars from 8 - 45mm and is accurate to +/- O.1mm. Pneumatic clamping of the spacer frame and automatic centering of the Georgian bar in location cradles enable the operator to achieve precision, whilst a printed grid provides a visual check.

The new table also includes an in-built spacer-Georgian height adjustment and a guide system for staple guns in the correct working position. An additional connector for a hand held air gun may also be supplied. Data can be provided either on-line or from a disk, with a built-in table top control panel supplied for regular monitoring.

Tel: 0121 313 3010
Email: mailto:ukae@minworth.freeserve.co.uk

BWF lntroduces New Code of Conduct

The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has ratified a far reaching Code of Conduct, adherence to which is now a condition of Full Membership.

The BWF Code, which has been over two years in the making, will apply to nearly all the 450 plus Membership of the Federation. It covers the conditions of full membership, procedures for vetting full Members and complaints by or against Members.

Other sections cover Financial Status and Eligibility, Customer Care, Contracts, Employment, Health & Safety, Education & Training, Technical Expertise and Information, Environment, Sustainability, Advertising and Insurance.

'lt's been a long road to the final version,' said BWF Secretary Michael Lee, 'but we opened up discussion fully to the Membership and it's been worth the wait.

'We now have a Code that comprehensively covers vital issues affecting trading, whether technical, financial, legal, and customer rights and warranties.

'The BWF has played a pivotal role in rejuvenating the UK joinery industry in recent years, returning timber to its rightful place as both a vital structural and decorative material. This new Code will help to reinforce the credibility of our Members and the joinery and woodworking industry.'

Tel: 020 7608 5050
Email: mailto:bwf@bwf.org.uk
Web: http://www.bwf.org.uk

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