In
a move that links two leaders in the UK building products market, door
company Lindman Ltd has been purchased by the Laird Group plc for an undisclosed
sum.
Lindman says that it pioneered the original fibreglass composite door
in the UK in 1987, and has since successfully promoted and developed its
products using GRP thermosetting resin technology. Laird is a market leader
in the UK for window and door hardware, providing high quality security
and hardware products and an expanding range of PVCu profiles. Brand names
include ERA and Permacell Finesse.
Welcoming
the acquisition, Lindman’s founder and managing director Chris Dixon
(pictured) described it as an exciting development that will be beneficial
for all parties and especially for customers. He commented: ‘A key
factor is that the Lindman brand will not lose its identity. Our existing
management team and all 60 staff will remain crucial to the business,
and we will continue to operate from our extensive manufacturing and fabrication
facilities at Warmley, near Bristol.’
‘The acquisition will enable Lindman to access the additional financial
resources necessary for significant further growth and development following
its continued success, particularly in the social housing market. At the
end of last year, the company celebrated the sale of its half millionth
door, which is further evidence of Lindman’s market penetration of
the superior door concept and of the large number of customers achieved
along the way. There will also be some synergistic benefits through the
use of Laird’s door hardware.’
By consolidating its UK building components business with a well-established
door manufacturer, Laird will achieve its aim of providing the market
with a fully integrated package of products for the benefit of all customers.
Peter Hill, Chief Executive of the Laird Group, commented: ‘Laird’s
strategy is to develop businesses in specialist markets with opportunities
for growth where our technology and expertise provide a competitive edge,
resulting in increased shareholder value.’
Contact: Chris Dixon
Tel: 0117 961 0900
Investing
in Quality, Efficiency and Service
Insulated
and toughened glass specialists, Glasscraft Decorative Limited, has just
celebrated eleven years of growth. The Leeds based company serves a wide
assortment of glass customers throughout Yorkshire, supplying high quality
sealed units and single glazed toughened glass. In order to achieve its
quality and production goals, the company has chosen Promac Glass Machinery
as its preferred machinery supplier.
Glasscraft Decorative’s production unit features the latest MTL automatic,
glass cutting tables, two Procut saws and a new Forel IG line. Chosen
for its ability to handle soft coat glass, the Forel 1.6 automatic coupling
line also features the fully automatic Forel hot melt robot, which seals
an insulated glass unit every 27 seconds.
The proximity of a new tempering furnace prevented a typical straight-line
installation of the 30 metre long IG line. Promac Glass Machinery provided
the solution with a Forel Angle conveyor (pictured), which takes glass
from the washer and turns it through 90 degrees to meet the IG line. The
angle conveyor has no impact on productivity and in some cases can improve
cycle times. By installing the angle conveyor space adjacent to the line
was freed up for the installation of a new PLC controlled, dual dosage,
Forel butyl machine.
Tel: 01788 577577
Web: http://www.promac.co.uk
Synseal
Customers Gain from the Lowest Price Increases in the Industry
As
the market braces itself for further raw material price hikes in PVC resin
and steel, some suppliers are implementing price increases of 4-8% on
profile, and up to 18% on steel. Synseal has decided to absorb the bulk
of these increases and limit the burden on customers with a 2% increase.
This rise excludes conservatory kits and bar length sales which will continue
to be sold at current prices.
Nick Dutton, Sales and Marketing Director, explains how Synseal has managed
to keep its increases so low despite being subjected to similar cost increases:
‘Like all system companies, Synseal has been hit with a cost increase
on our major extrusion components in the region of 40%. But as Synseal
customers know, when price increases are necessary, we have a policy of
achieving the lowest increase in the industry, and delaying increasing
prices until absolutely necessary. It is no secret that others try to
get what they can, by asking for a far greater increase and negotiating
only when pushed. Synseal does not use cost increases as a smokescreen
to hide margin increases.
‘So how can Synseal keep the figure so low when we are also subject
to significant cost increases? Thanks to our continuous substantial capital
investments to improve in-house efficiencies, we are much leaner than
many of our competitors. In addition, Synseal’s customer base now
purchase many more additional products e.g. gaskets, hardware, patios,
and conservatories which by increasing the value of a delivery also helps
keep the cost down. Finally, Synseal’s exceptional growth, especially
from conservatories has established notable economies of scale –
in other words Synseal’s growth is helping to keep down the cost
for our customers.’
Tel: 01623 443 200
http://www.globalroof.co.uk/
'Quality
Roofing Systems is a BBA Accredited conservatory roof fabricator at the
quality end of the market’ explains QRS Company Director Dave Buttery.
‘We initially fabricated the Quantal Roof and the K2 Roofing System
both to BBA Accredited fabricator status. A few months ago the decision
to replace K2 with Global was taken.
‘I must say we are impressed by the Global Roof and by Synseal, it
is a fantastic system. It’s extremely fabricator and fitter friendly
and Synseal is a very focused and passionate company which constantly
listens to customers, looks for improvements and gets the job done.
‘Working in conjunction with Synseal, QRS has put considerable investment
into our new ‘Allure’ Aluminium Powder Coated Roofing System
which was launched at Glassex 2004, with a fantastic response. The aluminium
finial, cresting, radius end cover and polycarbonate end closure are unique
to QRS.
‘It was definitely the right move for QRS, as increased orders show
that both ‘Allure’ and ‘Global’ are favoured by fitters
for ease of assembly, reduced installation time and minimum disruption
for the end customer.
‘Things are going very well and we have hired Henry Inglis as Sales
Director. Henry is well known in the industry and has recruited two extra
sales executives to support our momentum throughout the UK.’
Tel: 01623 443 200
http://www.globalroof.co.uk/
Dempsey
Adds new 3000 Deceuninck Suite to Range
West-Yorkshire
based Dempsey Dyer has introduced the new 3000 Series by Deceuninck, to
further enhance its product portfolio. ‘The new 70mm suite is being
viewed as one of the most technically advanced, high performing systems
available on the market.’ says the company.
Dempsey Dyer already manufactures 800 frames per week using Deceuninck’s
60mm 1800 Series profile but demand to offer a 70mm system was such that
the company needed to complement its existing range with an additional
suite. Having been a Deceuninck fabricator for some twenty years, it was
the natural choice to look at the company’s current supplier for
its 70mm requirement.
The new 3000 Series system design allows for personalisation of the window
style with a choice of three glazing bead options; standard, contemporary
and decorative.
Dempsey Dyer’s Production Controller, Steve Martin, commented on
the new system; ‘Not only is the system aesthetically pleasing but,
from a fabrication point of view, the system is extremely user friendly
and has numerous time-saving benefits. In particular, the rolled in weatherseal
is fully weldable and therefore speeds up the overall fabrication process.
The ease of manufacture is the most essential technical innovation of
the suite.’
Tel: 01249 816969
Email: mailto:martin.vowden@deceuninck.com
Eric
Davis joins KS Profiles
Eric
Davis, ex Board Director of the Plastmo group, has joined KS Profiles
as its new Sales Director.
'Eric joins at an exciting time for the company, with dramatic sales growth
in the past 12 months with the very successful KS Fortuna suite and the
current introduction of the company’s new 70mm pre-gasketted KS Delphi
decorated system.' says the company.
‘With 20 years experience working both with fabricators and for fabricators,
Eric is ideally placed to assist the company to achieve it’s ambitious
targets and ensure that it’s existing reputation for first class
customer service support is further enhanced.’
Tel: 01327 316960
Email: mailto:pms@ksprofiles.com
CGI
International ‘Early Adopter’ on Doc M Compliant Vision Panels
in Fire Doors
Fire
resistant Pyroguard 7mm Clear Glass from CGI International has been successfully
tested to meet the new and exacting standards required by the recently-implemented
Building Regulation Approved Document M on vision panels in doors.
Specialist
fire glass manufacturer CGI International successfully tested a 300mm
x 1700mm panel of its Pyroguard 7mm Clear Glass to well beyond 30 minutes,
and as a result its CERTIFIRE Certificate of Approval has been extended
to approve a glass size of 375mm x 2125mm.
The aim of the test was to gain a 30-minutes fire rating to BS 476: part
22, with an assembly that satisfied Document M section 2.13.c – which
covers vision panels in doors. For reasons of security, the minimum zone
or zones of visibility in the door must be between 500mm and 1500mm from
the floor. An intermediate horizontal rail can be accommodated if necessary.
People should be able to see other people approaching from the opposite
direction. Glass vision panels therefore may need to be larger than normally
used in order to satisfy this requirement. CGI’s latest success fulfils
this need and more.
Pyroguard 7mm Clear Glass is fire resistance tested to BS 476: part 22,
EN 1364-1 and other international standards, and is classified E30 / EW30
to EN 13501-2. It is also impact safety certified to BS6206 Class B and
EN 12600 Class 2.
A complete range of fire products to fulfil a wide variety of performances
and appearances are available from CGI International. This enables specifiers
to obtain all their requirements for fire and speciality glass from a
single source. CGI has a new purpose-built factory at Haydock, Merseyside,
and has just won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International
Trade, 2004.
Tel: 020 7960 6060
Email: mailto:alison.emerson@cgii.co.uk
Web: http://www.cgii.co.uk
Working
Factory Showroom - Fabricator’s ‘Centre of Excellence’
for Elumatec and Kömmerling
A
Stockport window manufacturer is being used as a ‘working factory
showroom’ by two of its long-standing key suppliers.
Kömmerling fabricator Alexander Windows has recently invested £350,000
in an Elumatec SBZ615 saw centre and quad head vertical welder - and Elumatec
is now bringing potential customers into Alexander to see the machine
in action.
‘We’ve got several different types of Elumatec machines, and
it looks like we’re going to be a working factory showroom for them
in the UK on an on-going basis,’ says Alexander Windows’ Operations
Manager Sean O’Hara. ‘A number of companies have already been
in to see how we fit the machinery into our shopfloor set-up to ensure
maximum production efficiency. And several more are booked in over the
coming few weeks.’
While
Alexander is currently producing between 300 and 400 Kömmerling Connoisseur
windows a week, the new saw centre and welder are seen as the start of
a growth programme to around 800 a week. ‘The new machines have enabled
us to increase our capacity to doing in one week what it would have previously
taken us three weeks to do.’The saw takes up to 11 six-metre lengths
of profile through the milling process, inserting drain holes, water slots
and handle holes. Then, while more lengths can be loaded for milling,
the original 11 move onto the infeed table where the sawing centre cuts
the V notch, the Y cuts and the 90 degree cuts, also printing and placing
individual labels.
‘It gives us capacity to produce around 770 frames in a 40-hour week
-- which would take 120 hours without it.’
The new saw centre and quad welder work on a production line with several
other pieces of Elumatec equipment, including two CNC machines, a four
head and a three head welder, and two single head variable angle welders.
‘It’s the way we use the combination to maximum effect, that
makes Alexander Windows such a good example for fabricators considering
investing in such state-of-the-art machinery.’
Window systems company Kömmerling also uses Alexander as a ‘centre
of excellence’ frequently taking fabricators considering switching
to the Kömmerling Connoisseur system, to see the plant in operation.
‘We’ve recently had companies in from as far apart as Scotland
and London,’ says Sean O’Hara.
Careful
planning by Listers production team was paramount in the recent move to
the company's new 90,000 sq foot premises in Stoke to ensure smooth operations.
The 'shuffle' had to be done over one weekend with no disruption to its
customer's deliveries.
So, how did Listers do it? The company decided to use entirely its own
staff and its own transport to complete the mammoth task of transporting
and re-commissioning its materials, equipment & machinery.
'The company actively encourages staff to make decisions regarding their
own work areas' said Darren Pusey, Listers Production Director, 'So it
was only natural for us to have our own staff fully involved in and responsible
for the transfer of their machines and their work areas.'
Each of the Supervisors (pictured) headed the teams responsible for the
breakdown and securing of machines and then their re-commissioning at
the new site. What was even more remarkable was that these teams actually
changed the planned layout and sited the machines to where they felt they
would ensure maximum efficiency without consulting senior management.
And the response from the Directors? They were thrilled! 'We may draw
up the plans, but it's the hands-on staff who work with the equipment
that know how to get the best out of it' says Darren.
Production at the new site started two days ahead of schedule and the
success of having the company's staff fully involved was seen by the fact
that customers were completely unaware that the move had even taken place.
Tel: 01782 205605
Web: http://www.listertf.co.uk
CWG
Expands with the Acquisition of Midlands Based Kömmerling Fabricator
Corby
Windows Limited has bought the assets of Birmingham based Window Spec
Ltd. from the administrative receiver, it is renamed Garrison Windows
and will concentrate on fabricating the Kömmerling Connoisseur fully
sculptured 70mm PVCu system.
The CWG range has been further enhanced by the introduction of fully sculptured
windows, doors and conservatories fabricated using the Kömmerling
Connoisseur 70mm PVCu system. Available in white, woodgrain and woodgrain
on white, the Kömmerling products will run alongside existing ranges
fabricated by CWG.
Conservatories manufactured using Connoisseur profiles, will be supplied
complete with CWG’s universal Global Plus conservatory roof.
Corby Windows Limited has bought the assets of Birmingham based Kömmerling
fabricator Window Spec Ltd. from the administrative receiver. As a further
mark of commitment to the development and expansion of the new company,
re-named CWG Garrison Windows, two new high specification Rotox corner
cleaner machines have been ordered, so that frames can be manufactured
to the high standards demanded by CWG directors, Philip de Clermont and
Jason Wilder.
Jason Wilder commented, ‘We recognised that we needed a fully sculptured
range to enhance the product selection that we already supply and produce
using Rehau and Shield profiles. The addition of the Kömmerling fully
sculptured system to our existing range completes the jigsaw’.
Tel : 01536 409100
Email : mailto:info@cwg-uk.com
Web : http://www.cwg-uk.com
Winlock
Provides Hardware Solution for US Garage Door Producer
When
a leading US-based sectional garage door manufacturer turned its attention
to the European market it asked its UK Distributor to source a British
company to help redesign its handle and Winlock Security was approached
for advice.
Amarr's existing handles and mechanisms had been sourced in the Far East
but the company wanted to introduce significant improvements. Amarr was
looking to improve performance, offer something more aesthetically pleasing,
improve brand awareness and be more ergonomically practical.
Winlock was briefed to improve the quality and design of the handles and
mechanism being offered by Amarr Garage Doors. Armed with its considerable
experience in the garage door market, Winlock's engineers got to work
on producing a new, easy-grip handle based on a t shape concept.
It was not only the outside of the door that was at issue. lnside the
garage, Amarr wants its customers to be able to lock and unlock the door
with ease. Winlock duly produced a mechanism box that provides internal
release and accurately drives locking bars for maximum security.
The brief for one handle soon led to a second, specifically targeted at
the US market. Over 20,000 of the new Winlock manufactured handles are
now being shipped to the USA, to Amarr's UK distributor, Garage Door Systems
in Northern lreland and other European destinations.
Email: mailto:sales@winlock.uk.com
JPW
New Address and Email details
JPW
Glass Services, the supplier of glass processing machinery to the trade,
has moved premises. The new contact details are as follows:
JPW Glass Services
117 Leach Road
Bicester
Oxfordshire
OX26 2JT
Phone: 01869 320442
Fax: 01869 322418
Email: mailto:sales@jpwglass.com
JW Mobile 07860 481527
Colour
Me Beautiful with Quantal
Quantal
has installed a state of the art in-house paint shop. The company says
that it is the only conservatory roofing systems company to offer such
a service.
Specially designed to offer customers an even greater choice of colours,
this new resource means that all pre-coated aluminium, mill finish or
PVCu components can now be spray baked in-house using the latest, high-grade
acrylic formulation and technology employed on modern car body work.
Any colour from the RAL or BS range can be selected and any style or design
can be treated. The resulting finish is durable and colourfast and is
covered by a ten-year guarantee.
Tony Marshall, Director of Sales at Quantal, comments, ‘More and
more consumers are choosing to add coloured conservatories to their homes,
because they want to create a distinctive style or enhance the heritage
feel of a period property.
‘The ability to satisfy the increase in demand represents a real
sales opportunity for installers in the market place’, adds Tony.
‘Quantal has a policy of continuous investment and product development
and is always looking for ways to accommodate growth and maintain its
outstanding levels of customer service.’
The traditional styling of the BBA approved Quantal system features a
polyester powder coated aluminium external finish, internally clad with
PVCu for thermal efficiency, and suitable for creating a coloured conservatory.
Tel: 01626 832355
Web: http://www.quantal.co.uk
Double
Glazing Entrepreneur's New Web-Based Trade Dealership
He's
already built a successful UK double glazing company and starred in a
BBC TV show. But now British entrepreneur John Armstrong has taken on
a new business challenge by unveiling a new style trade dealership.
Having already built up his Coventry-based business, U-fit.co.uk, which
specialises in 'do-it-yourself' conservatories across the UK, he has launched
a new nationwide trade dealership idea called V4M (Value for Money, http://www.v4mtf.co.uk).
John Armstrong is urging firms nationwide to act as exclusive dealerships
to sell and distribute supply-only PVCu products, operating in different
areas of the country under the V4M banner to customers who order over
the internet.
Each dealership will have its own website where private and trade customers
will be able to log on and place specific orders without having to speak
to anyone. Customers will also be able to obtain online quotes, order
and download conservatory base plans and 3D drawings.
Firms that join the scheme as dealerships will decide what they want to
sell and will set their own prices on their own individual websites.
The V4M service will filter business leads to its network of dealerships,
the first of which has already been launched in Tamworth, Staffordshire
(http://www.v4mmidlands.co.uk),
and John is confident he will be able to establish 25 to 30 regional dealerships
in England and Wales in the future.
John is now looking for dealers in Banbury, Basingstoke, Brighton, Bristol,
Cambridge, Chester, Crawley, Derby, Guilford, High Wycombe, Ipswich, Isle
Of Wight, Kidderminster, Kings Lynn, Leeds, Lincoln, Liverpool, Maidstone,
Manchester, Norwich, Oxford, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Reading, Sheffield,
Slough, Southampton, Stevenage, Stoke, Swindon, Telford and Worcester.
Internally beaded windows and doors will be manufactured and supplied,
unglazed, for dealerships to sell in their own exclusive area under the
V4M banner to trade, DIY, builders or anyone else needing PVCu products.
In addition modular conservatories with more than 400 sizes available
will also be offered.
Deliveries will be made to dealerships once a week and they will be able
to process orders using V4M office software which will also generate invoices
for customers.
John, who set up his first company, U-fit.co.uk in Holbrooks, Coventry,
eight years ago with wife Ann said he was looking for a fresh challenge
in the industry and came up with the V4M idea in response to changing
trends in how people want to buy double glazing. He also said the V4M
approach could boost business for other double glazing firms around the
country who join as dealers, while saving customers money.
John
said: ‘V4M is a new concept and we have launched the first dealership
in Tamworth. Business traffic will be diverted to the local dealership
where customers will be able to obtain instant quotes as well as order
over the phone.
‘It will be a convenient and cost effective one stop shop for customers
who will be able to obtain online quotes, order and download conservatory
base plans and 3D drawings. V4M is limited to a simple range of designs
to keep things simple and cost effective and it will ultimately help customers
save money.’
His enthusiasm for the scheme has been mirrored by Paul Gibbs who is heading
up the first V4M dealership in Tamworth (pictured: Paul Gibbs (left) and
V4M founder John Armstrong).
Paul said: ‘I thought it was a cracking idea to sell windows to the
public and trade over the internet. If you want something made to measure,
that's exactly what we can provide and customers can do everything on
line.’
The logistics and economics of establishing regional V4M dealerships also
convinced John Armstrong to pursue the idea.
‘In the last year we have noticed that there has been a growing trend
for PVCu quotes on our existing websites,’ he said.
‘We get upwards of 150 inquiries a day for windows and 200 a day
for conservatories. Our problem has been if one of those inquiries is
in Bristol for example, and it's for a kitchen window, the economics of
it would be like taking a lump of coal to Newcastle.
‘The V4M concept will allow our dealers to sell to these kinds of
customers as they will go to their local dealership. V4M has massive potential
as a multiple distribution channel and I feel it could change the way
people buy their windows and conservatories.
‘I'm confident our initial dealership in Staffordshire will prove
to be a huge success and look forward to developing a number of V4M dealerships
throughout England and Wales.
‘If it proves to be as successful as U-fit has been over the past
eight years I will be absolutely delighted.’
Contact: John Armstrong
Tel: 024 7668 6682
Web: http://www.v4mtf.co.uk
Which?
Report ‘Time to Stop the Crime’ 2004 - Insist on Laminated Glass
Insurers
should put pressure on car manufacturers to raise their security standards
according to the July Which? Report (published July 1st); which goes on
to say ‘Until they do, it’s going to be the car owner who suffers’.
With more than 1.4 million cars broken into in 2003, the report reveals
a startling deficiency in the design of the UK car population. While cars
themselves are now harder to steal than ever before, the latest Which?
report (July 1st) has again demonstrated that people’s personal possessions
within the car are still sitting targets for willing opportunists. The
report clearly criticises car manufacturers and insurers for not insisting
on the mandatory introduction of one of the best ways to reduce crime
of this nature – laminated glass.
To demonstrate the lack of progress made on this front by car manufacturers
the Which? report compares statistics on crime and theft today versus
1998. While the average score for resisting theft of belongings in 1998
was less than three out of ten, latest figures show that this has only
improved by less than a point. And, in the year to July 2003, while the
number of thefts from vehicles fell by just four per cent, the number
of vehicles stolen fell by 12 per cent.
Yet, Which? tests showed that it takes a thief around five times as long
to break through laminated glass as it does to get through standard glass.
Add to that the amount of effort and noise required to break the glass,
and any would be thief would be deterred before the damage is done. The
only cars offering laminated glass as standard are the Audi A8, the VW
Phaeton and Lexus LS430 (which achieved respectively places 1, 2 and 3
in the luxury car category in the British Insurance Car Security Awards
held on 30/06/04.
The Lexus LS430 scored an impressive eight in the theft from Which? tests
compared to Fiat and Suzuki who consistently scored as low as one or two.
Northamptonshire’s Police car security expert Mike Franklin believes
that more car manufacturers should be building the security into the car
and not simply offering it as an accessory – so often the case with
laminated glass.
Mike Briggs of the insurance industry’s research centre - Thatcham
agrees that most cars are not secure enough despite Thatcham’s recognition
of the benefits of laminated glass in their car security rating system.
The truth however is simple. Consumers tend not to claim for car window
breakages and loss of belongings as this is likely to affect their no
claims bonus. The knock on effect of the problem is just not felt by insurers
so they have no desire to change the status quo. If the insurers are not
demanding change, the manufacturers won’t offer it. After all, they
only feel obliged to meet insurers’ standards.
Worryingly some car manufacturers have alarming attitudes towards the
issue of laminated glass. Daewoo called it a ‘white elephant’
– and ‘that’s nonsense’ according to Which? Thankfully
Honda has a more enlightened approach realising the security, acoustic
and temperature control benefits of laminated glass and seriously considering
it for their fleet.
Karl Schlicht, Director, Lexus GB commented; ‘Lexus is no stranger
when it comes to winning security awards. The LS430 has already been awarded
the security accolade by What Car? for three consecutive years. Laminated
glass plays a big part in providing superb security along with enhancing
the in-car refinement adding noise reduction’.
Michel van Russelt, Automotive Market Development Director for Europe
and Africa, Solutia SA/NV, commented; ‘Laminated automotive glass
is a big security bonus as is recognised by Which? and by some car manufacturers.
However, we look forward to seeing more manufacturers offering laminated
automotive glazing in the side windows of cars so that people can make
their own choice about the level of security they need in their car –
until it is more available, people don’t have that choice.’
The facts are these. The more manufacturers offer laminated glass, the
better the cost, the outcomes and peace of mind for both the manufacturer
the insurers, and ultimately and most importantly the consumer.
Hoffmann
Solves a Traditional Problem
Traditional
Roof Lanterns is one of those quintessentially English companies that
has found success in perfecting a niche product from another era in modern
times. Even the company’s location in the fascinating and historic
old harbour town of Rye in East Sussex – one of the original 'Cinque
Ports'– seems in keeping with its craft.
So what is a roof lantern?
Well, the company’s website – http://www.rooflanterns.co.uk
– describes them as ‘essentially a glass and timber structure
very much like a miniature conservatory roof, which is incorporated, usually
into an area of a flat roof, in order to introduce light into the area
below’. It goes on to explain that it is possible to incorporate
a roof lantern into the ridge of roof or even other areas so long as the
design and execution are carried out correctly.
This last fact is crucial because, while roof lanterns were first used
in the Georgian era at the time when the first orangeries and conservatories
were being built, many of these fine and imposing structures were prone
to leaks due to the limitations of contemporary materials.
The
Victorian and Edwardian eras pioneered more practical uses of the roof
lantern – many of which are in common use today – such as over
landings and stairwells, in billiard rooms, reception rooms, kitchens,
places of education and public spaces.
Traditional Roof Lanterns’ Christopher Cooper’s background in
both architecture and traditional boat building combined to produce the
skills to design and construct a number of one-off commissions for roof
lanterns in 1985 from which time they became a regular item on his order
books.
Realising the market potential, he began producing standard designs with
modern manufacturing techniques and materials to arrive at an affordable
pricing structure for products with structural integrity and durability,
having good insulation properties and low maintenance characteristics.
Christopher Cooper’s research into materials and construction techniques
led him to the Hoffmann system of dovetail key jointing where a serrated
key is inserted into matching keyways of a joint so that the two faces
are pulled together in a tight, permanent and secure assembly.
The Hoffmann system solved a major problem for Traditional Roof Lanterns
in joining the mitred sections of the sills at the base of the structure.
This component is a core part of the roof lantern’s base structure
and sealing interface with the main building or roof.
The workshops in Rye use the manual Hoffmann MU2 keyway router which accurately
clamps the two joint faces so that the final joint is made perfectly and
assured to be seamless and accurate.
Christopher Cooper says that by the incorporation of modern materials
and techniques like the Hoffmann system they have been able to combine
the traditional appearance (and include traditional materials where appropriate)
to create a high performance product that has resulted in a dramatic increase
in orders which has led to the company devoting its resources to the full
time production of roof lanterns.
Tel: 015242 62500
Web: http://www.hoffmann-uk.com
Alcoa
Breaks Ground on $1.1 Billion Iceland Smelter
Alcoa
broke ground on 8th July on its 322,000 metric ton per year (mtpy) Fjardaal
aluminum smelter in East Iceland, the company's first greenfield smelter
in 20 years.
Cost of the facility is estimated at approximately $1.1 billion. Upon
completion, Alcoa Fjardaal will be one of the most efficient, environmentally-friendly,
and safest smelters in the world. It is scheduled to begin production
in the spring of 2007.
Attending the ground-breaking ceremony in Reydarfjordur today were Bernt
Reitan, Group President of Alcoa Primary Products; Valgerdur Sverrisdottir,
the Minister of Industry and Commerce; Gudmundur Bjarnason, Mayor of Fjardabyggd
Municipality; and Andy Greig, President of Bechtel's Mining and Metals
Global Business Unit as well as parliamentarians from the northeast constituency,
members from the environmental and business committees of parliament,
aldermen from Fjardabyggd, and representatives from community, business
and labour organisations in the East.
Bechtel will manage the smelter construction in cooperation with the Icelandic
engineering firm HRV. As many as 1800 people will be employed at the height
of construction of the smelter. The smelter will create approximately
750 permanent jobs in the region. During the construction, emphasis will
be placed on close consultation with the local community, safety of employees,
and Alcoa's sustainable development philosophies to minimise the impact
on the environment.
Web: http://www.alcoa.com