News @ The GL@ZINE

Burnden and K2 Win Multi-Million Pound Costs from Ultraframe

A High Court Judge has brought to an end six years of litigation between two of the UK’s leading conservatory manufacturers.

Awarding costs following a six month trial, Mr Justice Lewison ruled that Clitheroe-based Ultraframe Plc should pay the bulk of the costs incurred by the defendants The Burnden Group and K2 Conservatory Roof Systems Limited based in Bolton.
Ultraframe was instructed to pay £2 million as an interim payment with the full costs likely to increase to approximately £5 million.

Ultraframe, who had previously claimed partial victory in its action were awarded no costs and denied leave to appeal.

The Judge left no doubt as to which company had come out on top, stating that, “Looking at the matter in the round, it is plain, in my judgment that the defendants have won.”

Mr. Justice Lewison was also critical of the way in which Ultraframe had protracted proceedings, stating that, “In my judgment, it was unreasonable for Ultraframe to have pursued these actions after January 2004.”

Gary Fielding, managing director of The Burnden Group, felt justified by the verdict.
“It’s a great relief that these proceedings have come to an end after six years of uncertainty,” said Gary. “The costs award justifies our decision to stand firm against what we always felt was unnecessary litigation.

“Despite the strains caused by this case, we’ve still managed to achieve year-on-year growth for the Group. Now that we can put our full resources and attention behind taking the business forward, we are confident of a bright future.”

Ultraframe may now ask the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal, but must do so by the end of the first week in December. If Ultraframe obtains leave to appeal it must provide Burnden with a bank guarantee to secure payment for £2million'

Court Rules on Costs in Burnden Case Pending Appeal

Following July’s judgement in the legal case between Ultraframe and The Burnden Group and Burnden Conservatory Products ('Burnden'), Burnden’s founder Gary Fielding, and his wife Sally Fielding and others, the High Court has now ruled on costs and permission to appeal. This case arose from the infringement of intellectual property rights owned by Ultraframe’s wholly owned subsidiaries Northstar & Seaquest.

In July the Court ruled that the overwhelming majority of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the disputed roofing system belong to Northstar and Seaquest and ultimately therefore the Ultraframe Group. Burnden is liable to pay licence fees in respect of past use and has been obliged to undertake to the Court to take a licence from Northstar and Seaquest relating to any future infringing use of the IPR. The Court has now announced that there will be an inquiry into the damages that Burnden is liable to pay for its design right infringements.

The Court also found evidence of two dishonest conspiracies perpetrated against Ultraframe’s wholly owned subsidiaries. Mr Fielding was found to have been deliberately untruthful when giving evidence to the Court and to have been involved in the fabrication of documents to support his defence. The Court also found Burnden and/or Mr Fielding liable to compensate Ultraframe’s companies in respect of management charges wrongly levied to the companies.

As a result of Mr Fielding having made earlier confidential settlement offers, the court decided to award Burnden Group some element of their costs albeit at a discounted rate due to the above. In a variation to the normal order of process, the court turned down Burnden’s request for an immediate interim payment. The court ruled that no payment should be made until after the appeal process has been concluded.

Ultraframe is now considering an application to the Court of Appeal. An application must be lodged by December 2005, with an appeal verdict expected during 2006.

The full net effect of the legal cases between Ultraframe and Burnden will not be known for some time. The longer term possibility of cost payment from Ultraframe to Burnden, the shorter term implication of the licence fees and management costs to be paid by Burnden to Ultraframe and the costs awarded to Ultraframe from Burnden in the Scholes Patent case, which will also be due shortly, all need to be taken into account.

David Moore, CEO, Ultraframe Plc:
'Even though this case may yet continue to appeal, we are pleased that the Court has strongly upheld the integrity of our Intellectual Property Rights thus far. This underlines Ultraframe’s determination to robustly defend our long term investment in the industry, protecting the best interests of our employees, customers and shareholders.'

Holland Votes Against EU Buildings Energy Law

The Dutch government has voted against new EU buildings energy efficiency rules and has called for their renegotiation. This comes in the wake of several reports which envisage a collapse in office property values upon implementation, as well as the high cost of implementation, with around 2000 inspectors required to test buildings in the UK, accoding to a study by the RICS.

In the UK, the estimated cost of refurbishing old commercial buildings to win a good rating and the additional cost of making new developments energy efficient will be almost £2 billion to 2020, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The Dutch No Vote is a serious challenge to normal EU legal procedures and undermine implementation of one of the bloc's key policies on climate change.

The Dutch government said that due to 'high administrative costs' of implementing the directive the cabinet had decided against doing so 'in the short term'. It would also contact the European Commission to see if the law could be adapted.

A spokesman for the Dutch environment ministry said that a new study had put the cost of implementing the directive at $80m per year, $50m of which would be paid by companies and $30m by households.

The energy performance of buildings directive, or EPBD, was passed in 2002. Member states still have until 4 January next year to transpose it into national law. As well as energy certificates for all buildings it requires regular inspections of heating and air conditioning systems and sets standards for buildings energy performance.

Eurocell Profiles Ltd has formally opened a new £8 million manufacturing and administration plant adjacent to its Alfreton, Derbyshire headquarters, with a press open day.

The leading PVC-u profile supplier invited 30 guests along to help it celebrate the purpose-built, 10,000 sq metre plant's official unveiling.

A tour of the new production facility, which incorporates £2 million of Battenfeld extruder equipment, an improved mixing plant, precision tooling, profile lift and eight new silos, was followed by the opening of a new purpose-designed Showroom and Video Wall by Gareth Thomas, Managing Director of Everglade; Eurocell's longest standing customer.

After a sit down lunch, guests were addressed by Eurocell Managing Director, David Leng, who told those present:

‘Five years ago we extruded 17KT with 480 employees. By 2004 we had achieved the number one extruder position by almost trebling output, with not quite double the number of employees.

‘We achieved this growth by looking after, helping and developing our existing customers like Everglade, whilst looking for and attracting the best new customers like Framefast.

‘As I am sure you have seen today, Eurocell core competences of high quality, good value manufacturing, customer focused product development and technical help, underpinned by a top class IT system, are in very good shape.

‘You have also seen the latest phase of the £60M of investment we have spent in the last five years in new and improved capacity. This gives us the capability to continue our growth, even in the troubled market of today.’

He concluded: ‘We like to think that we have earned our growth - not acquired it. None of this would have been possible without the huge energy, skill and dedication of our staff, some of whom you have met today.’

The event culminated in the release of hundreds of tagged red balloons by Paul Brighouse from Eurocell's newest sign-up Framefast. The Eurocell employee whose balloon travels the furthest will win a cash prize of £901, representing a pound for every member of the company's workforce.

Tel: 01773 842395
Email: david.wigley@eurocell.co.uk

Exatec 900, the latest automotive polycarbonate glazing system from the GE Plastics/Bayer MaterialScience joint venture, received a key approval from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) on Monday 3rd October.

The authorisation from the US body means that the system can be certified as AS-2, so that it can be used in vehicle areas specified for Item 2 glazing (safety glazing material for use anywhere in a motor vehicle except windshields).

The new product combines the excellent abrasion & scratch resistance of the established Exatec® 500 system with significantly improved weathering performance. According to the Exatec® Predictive Weathering Model, parts will withstand more than 10 years of outdoor exposure, which is one of the most important quality criteria for Polycarbonate windows.

The key technology is a proprietary weathering layer - Exatec® SHX, which was specifically developed as a system interlayer. In addition, the weathering layer's water-based primer - Exatec® SHP 9X - is less aggressive on moulded parts and more environmental friendly. This solution enables moulding with even more part and improves the overall process yield.

The introduction of Exatec® 900 offers OEMs and automotive suppliers the opportunity to define new boundaries in vehicle glazing with advanced Exatec Polycarbonate Glazing Systems. Panoramic roof systems, highly integrated backlites and innovative door modules are only some of the options now available to OEMs.

Spectus Window Systems has been returned to private ownership. The company is now part of the Latium Group.

The company also has a new Managing Director, Peter Abbott, who has extensive industry experience. Peter teamed up with Latium earlier in 2005. At that time Spectus was a prime target for acquisition and he is delighted the company is now part of the Group.

He says, ‘Spectus is now an independent company with the flexibility private ownership brings. As things unfold the determination of the company to lead and shape the market will impress our customers and competitors alike. And, being UK based and owned underlines our 100% commitment to the UK market.’

Peter goes on to say ‘Having worked in the industry for over 25 years I understand the power of the Spectus brand and of the Spectus product range. We will be adding to that range over the coming months and early next year we will launch a bevelled version of the industry leading Elite 70 system. Investment in Spectus’ product range has been considerable and we will continue to offer the most up to date, value for money products of any systems company.‘

'In 2006 Spectus will be 25 years old. Accordingly we will be celebrating all the things that have kept Spectus at the forefront of the industry for so many years, namely innovation, quality and service.

'I see it as part of my job to encourage everybody in the company to concentrate on those basic strengths. They have joined a Group that includes companies that manufacture products complementary to those of Spectus. This will bring new strengths and where opportunities for profitable business exist they will be rigorously exploited.

‘The team I have joined at Spectus are a group of experienced industry professionals who share my determination to grow the business in all sectors. Like me, they’re keen to build rewarding partnerships and will be working hard to strengthen relationships with new and existing customers.

‘It is certainly a very exciting time for Spectus as the potential within the company is about to be realised. I look forward to a very successful and profitable future for ourselves and our fabricator partners.’

Tel: 01625 666119

Newstead Trade Frames has invested £120,000 in two state-of-the-art Stuga Autocut saw centres. As part of a wider investment programme Newstead bought the Autocut machines to stay ahead of increasing demand and plan to upgrade them to full Flowline cutting and prepping centres in the future.

Steve Haines, Sales Director of Stuga, says: ‘The Stuga Flowline is our most popular product for fully automatic sawing and prepping production facilities for PVC-U doors and windows. The machine accurately cuts six metre lengths of profile from programmed instructions, producing labels for the individual lengths of profile at the end. This means you only need one person to load the machine and put a sticker on the profile when it is automatically ejected after cutting. It comes complete with graphical software for remote access, and Stuga guarantees to resolve any technical and software problems within 24 hours.’ The Autocuts carry out the automatic cutting without the prepping, which can be added later.

‘We invested in Stuga Autocuts to increase our output to cope with demand and improve productivity. We'll pass on the benefits to customers’, says Adrian Locker, Managing Director of Newstead. ‘Our customers appreciate our investment to constantly improve quality and efficiency, even when things are going so well. We are delighted with the performance of the Stuga machinery and look forward to a long term working relationship together.’

Tel: 01782 641 642

When sculptured or fully featured window systems arrived on the market some years ago it was quite a decision for a fabricator to introduce one as an additional product into their existing production facility. Would it compromise efficiencies? What effect would increased stocks have on cash flow? What investment would be needed in new machinery, training and infrastructure? And most of all, if you make it, will anyone buy it?

Lister Trade Frames of Stoke on Trent faced all these questions and more when deciding to introduce its own ‘Elitis Sculptor’ range of featured windows and doors some 12 months ago. But far from putting the company off it relished the challenges in producing the new suite to the same high standards and in the same production cycle as its ‘Linear’ chamfered windows and doors.

'Looking back there were some very trying moments' Says Darren Pusey, Listers Production Director. 'But we were all totally committed to getting it right for our customers. We wanted to manufacture the sculptured suite right alongside our chamfered windows so that we could ensure that the quality and consistency of the new suite would exceed their expectations.'

Listers is now seeing orders for its sculptured range equalling those of its chamfered suite. 'We produce a quality finish to our ‘Sculptor’ suite, but not only does it look good, its five chambered design makes it very appealing to the buyer, and it’s so easy to bead and install that our customers just can’t get enough of it.' Says Darren.

Despite the obvious investment in machinery and quality that Listers has put into its business to produce this suite, it may be a surprise to many that it doesn't charge a premium for it. Darren smiles, '70mm, five chambered, fully featured windows and doors, excellent quality as standard, but we don’t charge any more than for our original chamfered range.'

Tel: 01782 205605
Email: sales@listertf.co.uk

The contract to supply Wendland with the PVC-U profiles for its new, enhanced Styal Roof components has been won by Rehau. Despite the strategic alliance between the two companies which will see Wendland supply Styal Roofs for the new REHAU-Dimension complete conservatory superstructure system, this was not a foregone conclusion and Rehau had to beat off stiff competition to win the business.

‘This is great news,’ said Alan Hickman, head of Rehau's project to develop its new conservatory system and who heads up all negotiations with Wendland, ‘not only does it mean additional volume for Rehau's extrusion plant but it also adds weight to our claim that the enhanced Wendland Styal roof will be a perfect match for the Rehau glazed walls in REHAU-Dimension.’

Tooling orders have already been placed with Rehau so that Wendland can meet its target to launch the new enhanced Styal Roof components early in 2006, with the launch of REHAU-Dimension scheduled to take place soon afterwards.

Speaking on behalf of Wendland, CEO Steve Gardiner said: ‘We are delighted to be able to award the contract to supply our new PVC-U roof profiles to Rehau. The company’s reputation for quality is well known throughout the industry and this will reinforce the confidence our customers have in our products.’

He added: ‘The enhancements to Styal contain a number of exciting design improvements which will not only appeal aesthetically to all our customers but will also make fabrication and installation even easier.’

Tel: 01989 762600

Super Toughened Glass is developing new markets for its high volume toughening expertise with the opening of a glass processing facility at its North London factory.

The management team, headed by Director Karsan Hirani, believes glass processing is a natural progression for the business and will open up exciting commercial opportunities, particularly in the light of declining demand for domestic sealed units.

Pursuing this strategy has involved a significant investment in the very latest glass processing equipment including high quality drilling, polishing, bevelling, sandblasting and CNC machinery. As a result Super Toughened sees itself as a full service supplier to customers of any sizes who can now obtain all their glass requirements under one roof. The company's new processing capability also means it can address the needs of more specialist markets, including the specification sector. High quality toughened and processed glass for balustrades, partitioning and curtain walling, for example, can all be supplied to meet even the tightest deadline for architectural and construction contracts. In addition, mirrors and processed glass for shower enclosures is seen as another growth area.

There's certainly been a positive reaction to the new venture from existing customers, which currently total around 400. First class customer support is fundamental to the company's business philosophy and providing a speedy and reliable service regardless of volume remains a top priority. The factory operates 24-hours a day with two 12 hour shifts, 50 weeks of the year. This enables a consistent turnaround of three to four days on all toughened orders, with a slightly longer lead time for processed glass, and emergencies can always be accommodated.

While glass processing represents a diversification for the North London company, being able to supply high volumes of toughened glass remains its key USP. The well-equipped factory has three toughening units and three cutting tables and can produce up to 70 tons of tempered glass a day to the Kitemark standard, including oversize units up to 2.4m x 4.5m in size.

Karsan Hirani believes processing provides the perfect complement to its core capability and will enable Super Toughened Glass to continue moving onwards and upwards.

Tel: 020 8965 7761
Web: http://www.superglazed.co.uk

Plastmo has recently signed up two significant new customers: Blenheim Windows of Cheshunt, Herts and D S Windows of Leominster, both of whom cite the comprehensive product range available from the Plastmo profile suite.

In PVC-U fabrication for over 24 years, Blenheim Windows of Cheshunt, Herts, has chosen Plastmo as its approved profile supplier.

Operating from its own premises and manufacturing base, Blenheim has, over the years, established a flourishing business divided equally between its local retail and trade markets. With a firm reputation for product quality and efficient installation and with its own sealed unit line, the company specialises in the more unusual product assignment, such as large swimming pool covers. It prides itself that its custom has mostly been procured via word of mouth and that now some of its customers are the children of original clients, all those years ago.

Well known locally for its patio door range, Blenheim Windows is already manufacturing the versatile Plastmo Inline Patio Door, with its crisp sightlines and many options. It now plans to include the recently introduced Charisma vertical slliding window, which combines period elegance with maximum security, within its product portfolio.

Director John Graham comments 'Plastmo impressed us with its comprehensive product range, while coming over as a friendly and helpful supplier. We forsee a great future for both the Charisma window and the Slidex door in our market'

A Herefordshire construction company has successfully expanded into the fenestration market. At the beginning of 2005, D S Fabrications branched out into the PVC-u window and door manufacturing sector, with the formation of D S Windows of Leominster, which has chosen Plastmo as its preferred PVC-u supplier.

A family operated company, D S Windows already has a flourishing trade and domestic market, attributing this, in part,to the guidance and support it received from Plastmo during set up. As part of its support package for new customers, Plastmo contributed towards initial tooling costs,advertising and promotional sales campaigns as well as training programmes for D S Windows staff.

D S Windows is now specialising in the manufacture of the Plastmo System Index range as well as the recently introduced Plastmo ovolo Vogue door and window range.

Blenheim Windows - Tel 01992 642309
D S Windows - Tel 01568 708644

The Conzzeta Group generated further revenue and profit growth in the reporting period. Compared with 2004, net revenues for the first eight months of the year rose by 11% to CHF 704.0 million (previous year: CHF 633.8 million). On a comparable basis, i.e. adjusted for the effects of acquisitions and currency translation, the rise was 9%. The operating result (EBIT) increased by 29% to CHF 35.4 million (CHF 27.4 million). Thanks to extraordinary revenue from the sale of real estate and a higher financial result, the Group profit rose 35% to CHF 30.1 million (CHF 22.3 million).

The main contributors to the growth in revenues were Sheet Metal Processing Systems business unit (Bystronic) and Glass Processing Systems business unit (Bystronic Glass). The EBIT margin showed a disproportionate increase to 4.9% thanks to the higher revenues and improved capacity loading.

The Conzzeta Group's financial base is still very sound. Cash and cash equivalents increased by CHF 7.0 million compared with the beginning of 2005. Current assets were up because of the higher inventories and work in hand. In the first eight months of the current year, property, plant and equipment plus software amounted to CHF 17.4 million

In the first eight months of the year, the Sheet Metal Processing Systems business unit (Bystronic) increased sales by 11% to CHF 199.0 million (CHF 270.1 million). The takeover of two sales companies in Great Britain and Sweden contributed to this growth. Adjusted for the impact of these acquisitions as well as currency effects, the increase in sales was 7%. From a fairly weak position at the start of the year the level of new orders rose to slightly above the previous year's level. At the EMO trade show in Hanover in September, Bystronic presented its new 6-kW laser source; it is set for market launch in spring 2006. At the same time, Bystronic further strengthened its market presence by opening new sales offices in the growth markets of Korea and Poland.

The Glass Processing Systems business unit (Bystronic Glass) enjoyed a 31% surge in sales to CHF 131.3 million (CHF 99.9 million), largely due to the increased demand for automotive glass systems. Geographically, sales showed good progress mainly in North America, Southern Europe and Asia. The inflow of new orders remained at a consistently high level. Measures to strengthen the business unit's market presence included the establishment of a subsidiary in Russia.

The market for flexible polyurethane foams stagnated in Europe and North America, but grew in Asia and Eastern Europe. Sales in the Foam Materials business unit (FoamPartner) came in slightly lower at CHF 87.6 million (CHF 89.1 million). Demand is slackening in the comfort and automotive segments, while sales in the industry segment showed a modest increase. This growth in sales and the rise in prices for raw materials since the autumn of 2004 have had an impact on the result. Cost reduction measures began to have a positive effect.

The Coating Materials business unit increased its revenues by 3% to CHF 72.5 million (CHF 70.1 million). Sales in the architectural paints division were higher thanks to the acquisition of the remaining 50% equity in the Jordan Peinture SA sales company. As already announced, the architectural paints division (SWISS LACK Group) will be sold to Akzo Nobel with effect from January 1st, 2006. Sales of print finishing products fell slightly compared with the strong performance in 2004. The rise in material costs due to the hike in oil prices was only partly offset by raising prices on finished products.

Deceuninck Status fabricator, Spektaglaze Ltd has recently established a partnering agreement with Pierhead Housing Association in Merseyside. This forms part of Pierhead's five-year cyclical maintenance programme and ensures that it achieves the government's ‘Decent Homes Standard’.

Spektaglaze has already completed the first phase of the programme with a contract to replace failing timber windows at Maud Roberts Court sheltered housing in Litherland, Liverpool. The contract, worth £130,000, utilised windows & doors manufactured from the zendow® 3000 from Deceuninck Status and were fabricated in a traditional rosewood finish.

Liverpool based Spektaglaze recently adopted the 70mm zendow® 3000 profile as its preferred system choice, due to the products technical efficiency and superior aesthetics. Zendow® 3000 offers improved security performance and increased thermal insulation; two vital elements in the specification criteria.

The properties remained fully occupied throughout the refurbishment programme, which took three Spektaglaze fitting teams six weeks to complete.

Commenting on the project, Managing Director Richard Hincks said: ‘We are delighted to have secured the first of several large projects and look forward to supporting Pierhead Housing with future refurbishment programmes’.

Spektaglaze manufactures 350 windows per week from the company's headquarters in Liverpool.

Tel: 01249 816969
Email: martin.vowden@deceuninck.com

Piper Windows and Doors Ltd has announced it has won a partnership tender with London Borough of Havering, worth over £3 million a year. The agreement is for three years with an option for the council to extend for a further two years. Edgetech customer Goldshield supplies sealed units with Warm Edge Super Spacer® technology to Piper Windows. Barry Manley, Commercial Sales Manager explains: ‘We are thrilled to have won the contract. There was a thorough tender process involved which assessed every aspect of what we do. We have been awarded this based on merit. Our workmanship and dedication to providing the best service with the best products means we are confident we can give Havering Council residents what they want.’

Councillor Michael Armstrong, Cabinet Member for Housing and Supporting People comments: ‘We are very pleased to be working with Piper Windows and Doors. Residents who have so far benefited from the company’s products responded very positively to the improvements to their homes, which are warmer and more energy efficient than before.’

‘Thermal efficient windows are becoming increasingly important’ says Andy Jones, Sales Director and General Manager of Edgetech UK and Ireland ‘and we are delighted that Super Spacer meets the stringent specifications laid down by Councils. More and more specifiers are waking up to the benefits of Super Spacer and using it to improve energy efficiency in their housing stock.’

Tel: 02476 705570

Firmseal, an established conservatory installer in Yeovil, has been one of the first companies to become an approved Radiance Performance Glass dealer. Following the recent launch of Radiance, Firmseal managing director Paul Gumbrell was quick to identify the opportunities in selling the class-leading product.

Paul comments ‘in a competitive market place we needed a product that not only looked good, but also performed to the very highest standards. We have installed the glass on our showsite and this has helped us gain crucial extra sales.’

It is the product performance and high levels of support that have consistently helped Firmseal as Paul adds ‘Radiance is competitively priced, is backed by great service and support and we also benefit from the fact that the units are delivered direct to site.’

Radiance Performance Glass is available through a nationwide network of approved dealers on a 5-7 working day lead-time. A wide range of support material is also available including demonstration heat lamps and product literature.

Contact Radiance Performance Glass:
Tel: 01373 464051
Email: info@radianceglass.co.uk

A complaint objecting to magazine and national press ads and a brochure, for conservatories for Extend-A-Room Ltd, Harrogate was upheld according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Complaint:
Crystal Canopies Ltd objected to magazine and national press ads and a brochure, for conservatories, that showed various pictures of conservatories and claimed '90% of rooms are complete in one day!' The complainants, who believed the advertisers built only pre-fabricated 'unconventional' conservatories without foundations:
1. objected that the pictures of conservatories in the ads and brochure were misleading, because they were not the advertisers' products and
2. challenged whether the claims '90% of rooms are complete in one day' and 'building site not required' misleadingly implied the conservatories featured had been built in a day and without foundation work.

Adjudication:
Complaint upheld
Extend-a-Room Ltd said the pictures used in their advertising were library shots provided by their suppliers. They explained that the pictures were very similar to their products and sent photographs of conservatories they had built. Extend-a-Room explained that they did not dig traditional strip foundations from the ground but used a modular steel unit clad in brick, which avoided the area becoming a building site. Extend-a-Room conceded that some conservatories required preparation work that took longer than 24 hours, but provided us with the names of six customers who confirmed that their conservatories had been constructed in a day.

We noted Extend-a-Room's comments and their willingness to comply with the Code. We welcomed their assurance that their latest brochure featured only work carried out by them. However, we understood from the photographic evidence they provided that the style of conservatory with a brick base would take more than one day to construct. We considered that consumers would infer from the photos and the claim '90% of rooms are built in one day' that Extend-a-Room could construct those brick-based conservatories in one day only. We asked them to make clear in their advertising that groundwork might sometimes be needed and that that would add to time spent on site. We advised Extend-a-Room to consult the CAP Copy Advice team for guidance with future ads.

The ad breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1 (Truthfulness) and 19.1 (Fair comparison) but not 6.1 (Honesty).

Manufacturer of lead-free environmentally friendly PVC roofline and rainwater systems, Freefoam Plastics, has increased its market share under difficult trading conditions after the 3rd quarter of trading in 2005.

Increasing oil and raw material costs, unsustainable levels of price-cutting and a general slowdown in activity have all contributed to less than ideal trading conditions in the roofline market this year. The situation has been further undermined by a series of high profile consolidation moves in the sector that will result in less real opportunity for stockists.

Freefoam says that it attributes its strong position to its independence and commitment to producing the highest quality products that perform well and offer the best value for money. The company has invested a significant amount of time and money in expanding operations, product range, as well as the choice of styles and colours available to customers.

Tony Walsh, Freefoam Managing Director, comments ‘At Freefoam we are proud to be, and intend to remain, one of the few truly independent manufacturers focused on the roofline market. We believe this provides stockists with continuity and commitment, and gives us the freedom and flexibility to respond to their needs quickly and effectively. We do not suffer the distractions of having to compete for investment with other internal competing divisions. Our whole structure is focussed on delivering products and services that will meet the needs of stockists and we are confident that this will ensure the company's growth going forward.’

For more information, contact Freefoam directly on 01604 759871 in the UK, 021 4911055 in Ireland, or email marketing@freefoam.com

Web: http://www.freefoam.com

West Yorkshire Windows, part of Conservatory Outlet, the new initiative offering small and medium conservatory companies the opportunity to join a team of growth focussed installation companies nationwide, has reported sales of £5.9 million to 31st July 2005.

‘This represents an increase of £1 million on the previous year,’ comments Andrew Glover, Finance Director of West Yorkshire Windows. ‘An increase of 20% in a challenging market is seen as an endorsement of our commitment to marketing. Whilst others are finding it tough we continue to meet our objectives and look forward to 2006.’

Tel: 01924 881920

Opportunities for the European building industry can be found in remote places - Latin America, China and Dubai are enticing builders with their double-figure growth rates.

The cumulated average growth rates over three years of 23.6% in China, 16.8% in Dubai, 18.2% in Brazil and 17.3% in India in terms of quantity, that have surpassed the European total market, are offering new challenges for the European building industry, according to the results of the latest study from InterConnection Consulting Group.

In Eastern Europe, claims are being staked between the usual suspects of profile suppliers, metal and glass manufacturers. The competition in these countries is less fierce than in the home markets. Lucrative niches and growth can be found in the distant markets where there is a shift in buying power and the markets are not yet developed. Dubai, China, Latin America and the Asian tiger states are the new hot spots in the building market.

After the debt trap and devaluation in Latin America, the Latin American states, despite the 'leftie' governments, are again on the up and up with a higher per-capita income, which in turn brings enormous potential for the building sector. With 13.5 million window units and a growing share of tilt-and-turn windows, European manufacturers are open to all possibilities.

In China and the Asian tiger states a similar picture can be seen. The building industry, as well as the window industry, produces average growth rates of approximately 20%. The window market grew by 39.7% from 2002-2004, and similar growth rates are expected for the coming few years. In China you can already find many window suppliers, and also some regional window manufacturers, who offer a high share of windows of European standards.

With regular announcements of million-euro building projects, Dubai is the centre of attention in the building industry. The boom in tourism has played an important role here, as new hotels and infrastructure must be provided in order to bring their construction up to western standards.

Another opportunity for companies that want to operate in exotic markets is the development of international niches: Aluminium super-towers are the last cry for interesting the resident investors. It is often the goal to build the tallest building in the world. The prerequisite for the fulfilment of such an aim is the highest standard of quality. The costs must take the high safety requirements into account.

All markets are ruled by similar buying motives, however for different materials: PVC is for poor people in Central Europe, whereas it is an expensive joke in South America. While metal windows are produced out of expensive aluminium and reserved by the 'Rich and Famous' in Germany, they are regarded as cheaply-manufactured scrap in South America. Wood has the most varying image of all of the material groups. It is not only the material, but also the design. It can be the case that what is considered good for the upper class when it has a luxurious design and high price can also be considered as scrap in the same country when it is discounted in its plain form and sold en masse.

Summary: The individual chance of growth of newcomers in these far away markets will increase massively when they manage to implement European standards. However, many manufacturers neglect opportunities because they are not prepared to adapt. For example, methods of window opening differ from region to region on cultural grounds. While tilt-and-turn windows are common practice here, they have never been seen in other countries. Without adapting the production to the needs and desires that are attributed to cultural differences some markets will never be opened up.

The IC MARKET FORECAST® WIINDOWS IN UAE 2005 is a detailed market and industry analysis of the market for windows in the United Arab Emirates. It contains market figures in amount and value for the years 2000-2004 and development forecasts up to 2007f, as well as detailed turnover and sales figures. The study is available now from InterConnection Consulting Group.

Tel: +43 1 5854623-11
Email: mailto:lehner@interconnectionconsulting.com
Web: http://www.interconnectionconsulting.com

‘Fabricators searching for the fastest and most economical method of supplying one-off structural steel profiles will welcome the launch of Jansen Personal Profiles, a new precision welding service by Europe's leading architectural steel specialist, Schüco Jansen.’ says the company.

Believed to be a world-first in the industry, the new service allows a bespoke profile to be produced much faster and much more cheaply than conventional roll-box methods. For fabricators this represents the opportunity to offer an improved service to clients looking for special designs and to increase profitability at the same time.

The Personal Profiles service takes different elements from Jansen's standard range of profiles - the largest in the world - and using computer-controlled robotic equipment, laser-welds them together to form a new bespoke version. The weld bead is virtually invisible, and because it has been laser welded there is no distortion to the profile.

The precision weld is of such outstanding quality that the structural strength of the new profile is enhanced compared to standard welding. Both mild to mild steel and stainless to stainless steel welding is possible. If required, steel plates, tube or box sections can be grafted effectively onto standard profiles. This can result in a slim profile which is also extremely rigid.

Tel: 01908 282111
Web: http://www.schueco.co.uk

Cardinal CG Company has finalised the requirements to acquire the assets of JDS Uniphase’s projection television mirror business in an agreement that was concluded on July 15th, 2005.

JDS Uniphase (JDSU) is engaged in the business of producing mirrors for projection televisions, home theaters, video walls and other audio / visual applications. JDSU is recognised today as a world leader in this segment of the market. Cardinal Coated Glass (CG) Company, a fully owned subsidiary of Cardinal Glass Industries, Inc., is a world leader in magnetron sputtering, a process that today is used to produce a wide range of products – Front Surface Mirrors (FSM’s) being one of them.

In making this announcement, Steve Nelson, Vice President of Cardinal CG Company, commented that this business is a solid match for Cardinal’s existing operations. Nelson states 'Cardinal is the world leader in sputter coating technology.

This expertise and understanding will fit perfectly with the highly technical FSM coating business. Cardinal CG Company will look to leverage our knowledge and production base to support the current requirements, bringing this experience and capacity to bear on this growing and highly competitive market.'

Dick Vegsund, JDSU Product Line Manager, stated that this move will allow JDSU to focus its resources on opportunities more consistent with its core competencies and new strategic direction. It is expected that the full transfer of the business will be completed on or about March 1st, 2006. In the meantime, JDSU in Santa Rosa will continue to handle all elements of the business with respect to sales, mirror fabrication, order fulfillment and customer service.

Cardinal CG Company, using its operation located in Tumwater, WA, will assume the complete production of the mirror products. This new group will be called Cardinal Optical Mirror Division – or Cardinal OMD. 'Becoming in essence a fully integrated producer will afford the necessary synergies required for us to compete in this exciting field' says Nelson. Nelson adds, 'Cardinal will be contributing further assets to ensure that we are properly positioned to support the growth and quality requirements associated with this application.' Cardinal is building a 150,000 ft2 facility to house new fabricating and inspection lines for this business. In conjunction with this, Cardinal is also building its fifth, state-of-the-art float glass facility approximately 45 minutes away from Tumwater in the town of Winlock, WA.

This new float glass facility will incorporate Cardinal’s current world class production capabilities with additional technologies necessary to produce the glass substrate required for FSM’s. Steve summarises the overview by stating 'We look forward to the challenges that await us in this exciting field, and are committed to bring the same energy, focus and commitment that have served us thus far in our core glass businesses.'

Cardinal CG Company is a fully owned subsidiary of Cardinal Glass Industries, Inc. Cardinal Glass Industries, Inc. is a private, management owned company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. With more than 5,500 employees, operating from 26 factories nationwide, Cardinal Glass is a recognised leader in residential glass applications, magnetron sputtering, glass research and development. For additional information about Cardinal Glass, go to http://www.cardinalcorp.com.

Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. has decided to establish a plant at the Asahi Glass Fluoropolymers U.K. Ltd. site in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire to manufacture fluorinated resin ETFE, which is used as an insulating material for electrical wires and as a raw material in the production of films. Construction will begin in January 2006 with anticipated completion in January 2007. The total investment is estimated to be approximately three billion Japanese yen (approximately 15 million pounds sterling). The project, once operational, will increase the Company's production capacity for ETFE by approximately 20%.

'Fluon® ETFE' (a copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene) is an engineering resin, and the Company was the first in the world to start producing it commercially.

The resin features:
(1)  excellent thermal plasticity that enables it to be easily molded;
(2)  excellent resistance to chemicals;
(3)  good electric insulation properties; and
(4)  excellent ultraviolet resistance that enable the resin to be used outdoors for more than ten years.

Given these characteristics, the resin is used in such applications as: an insulation material for electrical wires used in automobiles, aircraft and robotics; a material for tubes used to transport specialised liquids; and a film material used in greenhouse applications.

The Company currently manufactures ETFE at its Chiba and Kashima plants in Japan, supplying the majority of the entire world market. In response to strong demand, the Company has expanded ETFE facilities at its Kashima Plant to raise production capacity, successfully starting up this additional capacity in September 2005. In recent years worldwide demand from new customers for ETFE has sharply increased, including that from manufacturers of automobiles and construction materials, in addition to existing applications. The ETFE market is rapidly expanding, particularly in Europe, where for example, the Company's ETFE film has been used in the construction of the Allianz-Arena football stadium in Munich, Germany. In response to this, the Company has decided to establish a new ETFE plant in the U.K., adjacent to the existing PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) facility in Thornton-Cleveleys.

Email:info@fluon.co.uk
Web: http://www.fluoropolymers.uk.com