Latium
boss Brian Kennedy - worth an estimated £250m - has revealed he
is providing financial aid to Kate and Gerry McCann's legal battle to
clear their names.
Mr Kennedy said he felt compelled to help them after they were named as
suspects in their daughter Madeleine's disappearance.
In a statement, he said: 'In light of the quite literally incredible accusations
against Gerry and Kate McCann, which are clearly exacerbating their emotional
torture, I felt compelled to offer, along with other like-minded businessmen,
financial support and support of the Latium team. That support is principally
our in-house lawyer Ed Smethurst and Clarence Mitchell. This will relieve
the McCanns of the daily pressure of coordinating the legal teams that
will expedite the clearing of Gerry and Kate's names, allowing all parties
to refocus on finding Madeleine.'
Mr Kennedy is understood to have had no previous contact with the McCanns
or with Mr Mitchell, who quit his job at the Cabinet Office's media monitoring
team to become the couple's official spokesman. The businessman will cover
Mr Mitchell's salary while he is working with the couple.
Mr Mitchell said the McCanns were 'very pleased' to have a number of wealthy
donors to their costs. Other millionaires to have pledged money for information
leading to the safe return of the four-year-old have included JK Rowling,
the theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, Jacqueline Gold of Ann Summers
and Richard Branson.
Synseal
Employees get First Global Composites
The
first global composite doors rolled off the production line early last
week and have now been installed into the homes of 17 Synseal employees.
The new doors have been photographed for the sixty page consumer support
brochure.
'We know how helpful it is for customers to sell global composite doors
with before and after photography of real homes,' explains Nick Dutton,
Marketing Director of Synseal. 'Photography is cheaper and easier to do
in a studio or showroom but you lose authenticity so we installed the
doors in real homes. We ran a competition for everybody working at Synseal.
We asked them to bring in photos of their doors and we chose seventeen
to show the complete range.
'Good marketing support is part of the global package. Installers tell
us they need professional marketing materials for consumers. It's not
enough to show just a selection of doors, glass and extras; you have to
show the benefits of your product over the rest. The new global composite
brochure incorporates lots of real doors installed in real homes to help
installers sell doors by showing a real difference.'
Lucky recipient Pauline Butler who works in Synseal's accounts department
says: 'My new door is beautiful. I can't believe what a difference it
has made to my home. When it was installed it went in perfectly first
time and the whole job was completed in less than two hours. My husband
and I are delighted.'
Nick adds: 'Like all other global products, the door is designed to be
the best quality, easy to install and realistically priced, and supported
with superb marketing materials.'
Global composite doors will be available soon.
Veka
Makes Impressive First Half Gains
Showing
particularly well in private home improvement markets that remain unpredictable,
coupled with difficult social housing conditions, VEKA plc is reporting
excellent gains for the first half of '07 with new business gains of more
than £5 million.
New customers have joined VEKA from across the nation, including DWL Home
Improvements of Kent, Midlands based Swan Windows, Future Products, M1
Trade Frames and Mick Tuckey Windows, and West-End Windows and X-Cell
Trade Window Systems from the West Country. Yorkshire folk are renowned
for their canniness in business and many fabricators joining VEKA hail
from the county including Vulcan Windows Ltd and Kensington Conservatory
Systems from Hull, and REP Glass, Precision Trade Frames and Thermashield
from the west of the county. Ashbrook Windows, based in Cheshire and Lincolnshire's
Reflections Windows are now spreading the VEKA message in those counties,
whilst Altro Ltd of Lowestoft bolsters the availability of Vekastyle decorative
panels.
Matthew Ford from West End Windows says that the decision to move to VEKA
was not a difficult one. 'From the initial presentation, there was professionalism
and quality,' he comments. 'All the software that we needed was supplied
correctly and on time and we had excellent liaison with the sales and
customer service departments. VEKA made the task of introducing change
and new products completely seamless.'
Similarly, Dave Proctor of Vulcan Windows says that VEKA's prominence
in the social housing sector was a key influence for his choice. 'As a
new customer, we cannot fault VEKA's standing in the industry and the
high standards of quality and commitment. Coming on board with such a
reputable name is a move in the right direction for our company and we
look forward to a long and prosperous relationship together.'
Commenting on the recent influx of business, VEKA's managing director
Mark de Meza said: 'We are fully committed to delivering the best products
and customer service in the industry, and with these leading companies
choosing VEKA for a range of reasons highlights the impact we are making
in the market place by offering measurable value and performance, rather
than temporary panic measures. These are partnerships that we want to
work with in the long term and I look forward to continuing these new
found relationships for many years to come.'
To find out more on how VEKA can help your business, go to www.vekauk.com.
Ultraframe
Wins at Best Factory Awards
Conservatory
roofing manufacturer, Ultraframe, has won an award for Best Engineering
Plant at the prestigious Best Factory Awards (BFA).
Now
in their 16th year the Awards acknowledge and reward manufacturing companies
that demonstrate pioneering working practices. Organised by Works Management
magazine, in partnership with Cranfield School of Management, BFA stands
apart from other awards schemes because of their rigorous judging procedures,
which examine every aspect of operational and manufacturing management
performance. Entering these awards is about benchmarking, the detailed
entry procedure that encourages business to evaluate KPIs across the breadth
of the company, and the in-depth judging visits where a business is truly
measured by a team of experts.
Ultraframe was thrilled to be nominated for Best Engineering Plant, People
Management, Supply Chain and the Judges Special Award and were short listed
amongst high calibre companies including Coca Cola and Coors.
Mike Price, Ultraframe's Operations Director commented, 'We are thrilled
to have won the Best Engineering Plant Award as it acknowledges the company's
hard work and forward thinking to create new and more efficient practices.
The Operations team has worked extremely hard over the last 18 months
to streamline our processes and our hard work has been reflected in this
award, which is a fantastic boost for all those back at Clitheroe.'
Selection of the category award winners is made by a team of assessors
led by Dr Marek Szwejczewski (Director of the Best Factory Awards) from
Cranfield School of Management. The selection process consists of two
distinct stages. The first stage of the selection process is based on
an audit questionnaire completed by each participating organisation. At
this stage all of the participating factories are anonymous. The best
factories identified by analysis of the questionnaires are short-listed
for consideration as prospective category award winners. Only if a factory
has been short-listed is its identity revealed to the judges.
The
short-listed plants are then invited to participate in the second stage
of the competition. This involves a plant visit by the team of assessors.
The team of assessors is made up of experienced individuals from the Cranfield
School of Management, the Institute of Electrical Engineers and other
institutions. During the visit the judges meet with management and the
workforce and tour the site.
In making their selection the judges take into account several criteria,
some of which are:
* Operating performance measures in comparison with other factories in
the same industrial sector.
* Rates of performance improvement
* The quality and effectiveness of the systems in place to ensure continuous
improvement
* The quality of management leadership and strategic thinking
* The extent to which the factory meets the criteria for world-class manufacturing
The impressive win was announced at an award winner's lunch at the London
Park Lane Hotel in Mid September, which was attended by 20 members of
the Ultraframe Operations Team.
Mike Price concluded: 'The team and staff from all departments at Ultraframe
are delighted with our win. In line with our strategy for continuous improvement,
we believe this perfectly demonstrates that steps are being made in the
right direction to confirm our status as a world class organisation..
Edgetech
Announced Finalist in Two G07 Awards
Edgetech
UK has been announced as a finalist in two G07 awards. Up once again for
the Energy Efficiency Award which it took home last year, the company
has also been short listed for the Promotional Campaign of the Year Award
for one of its highly targeted direct mail campaigns.
'We're pleased to be nominated for both of these categories in these flagship
industry awards and thrilled to see two of our customers alongside us
as finalists in the energy efficiency category,' says Andy Ball, Marketing
and Business Development Manager of Edgetech.
'We and our customers have worked hard to achieve cost effective, energy efficient products using Super Spacer and drive forward initiatives such as the Reduce VAT Campaign and Window Energy Rating Forums. Improved energy efficiency is key to increasing sales in the glazing market and this is demonstrated by the success of our growing customer base. It's also great to be short listed for the Promotional Campaign category because while offering the highest performance product is crucial, so too is communicating its benefits to ensure our customers can make the most of market opportunities.'
For
the third consecutive year Lister Trade Frames of Stoke on Trent have
been nominated as a finalist at the industry's prestigious G-Awards.
The G-Awards are the Oscar's of the fenestration industry attracting the
best of the great and the good to celebrate both company and individual
achievements over the previous twelve months. This year the awards will
be held on the 12th of October at the NEC Hilton Metropol Hotel, where
comedian Rob Brydon will be the master of ceremonies and presenter of
the awards.
In 2005 Listers won the top G-Award as Fabricator of the Year and in 2006
they won the G-Award for Training and Development. Now in 2007 they have
been nominated finalists for the Energy Efficiency Initiative of the Year
award for their innovations in window energy ratings.
Mark Warren Listers MD said that 'this is really great news to be a finalist
for the third year running. The announcement has put a real buzz throughout
the whole company. Our staff have worked very hard to promote our energy
efficient products and this recognition means a lot to us all. To win
the award would just be the icing on the cake for us this year.'
A hat trick at the G-Awards is something really special in our industry
but with Listers recently reporting 13 consecutive months of record sales
they aren't new to successes of this kind. 'The G-Awards focus on the
professionalism of our sector' says Mark 'It's a great evening and we
look forward to buying everyone attending a drink to help celebrate the
event!' Now there's an invitation you can't refuse.
Contact: Tel 01782 205605 www.listertf.co.uk.
www.g-awards.com.
GAP
Scoops G07 Nomination for Training and Development
Leading home improvement stockist GAP has been short listed in the Training
and Development category for the G07 Awards. GAP recently invested £300,000
in a dedicated Training Centre at its head office in Blackburn where staff
can learn the technical and practical aspects of the products GAP stocks.
The Training Centre is headed up by Group Training Manager Karl Owen.
Training schemes are also widely available to GAP's customers to allow
them to get the best from the products GAP supplies, as well as enabling
them to sell more effectively.
Joint Managing Director Charles Greensmith comments: 'We are delighted
to be named as a finalist in the Training and Development category - it
is recognition of the training programmes we have put in place to develop
the skills of our staff whilst also helping our customers. The end result
is that our customers can rely on all our staff to be able to answer their
questions as and when required..
Sheerframe
Fabricator Invests £250,000 To Meet Newbuild Demand
Sheerframe
fabricator and installer H Jarvis Ltd is investing more than £250,000
over the next six months to help meet demand from customers in the newbuild
sector.
The
company, which specialises in windows and doors for the housebuilding
sector, is investing in new jobs, office space and machinery.
Following a review of the production processes at its 50,000 sq. ft. factory
in conjunction with Durham University and the DTI manufacturing advisory
service, H Jarvis has significantly expanded its capacity with the addition
of a second production line and is now equipped to produce 2,000 units
per week. Investment in new machinery includes the purchase of two beading
machines and a Stuga micro line. The company, which employs 75 people,
is also extending its office space within the factory to accommodate up
to 12 new customer service and accounts staff.
Dave Glendinning, managing director of H Jarvis Ltd says, 'We have concentrated
our efforts on delivering high quality products to the housebuilding and
commercial sectors, backed with a first-rate service, and our continued
success shows that this approach is proving extremely effective.
'We are committed to maintaining this success and will invest in the business
to ensure that we are as efficient and up-to-date as possible, utilising
all our resources as effectively as we can.'
Established in 1878, Cleveland based H Jarvis Ltd offers a window and
door design, fabrication and installation service for the housebuilding
industry across the north of England and Scotland. In addition, the company
works with local authorities and schools in the region on contracts which
also include curtain walling.
For further information on H Jarvis Ltd, telephone 01642 482366 or visit
www.hjarvis.co.uk.
Kestrel
Reduces its Carbon Footprint
Kestrel,
the no lead, no tin, next generation of PVC-UE and PVC-U roofline, cladding
and window trim products, is pleased to announce that after two years
of a three year programme to reduce energy at its 120,000 sq ft Scunthorpe
manufacturing facility, it has already hit its three year target of 15%.
'As
a result we will be upping the target for the third year,' explains Paul
Knowles, Scunthorpe Site Director of the Kestrel brand. 'We've managed
to agree this challenging target by working closely with the Carbon Trust,
making sure all motors bought meet ECA energy ratings, monitoring all
our equipment to ensure it's working at the most efficient levels and
holding monthly environmental meetings to ensure all departments are working
together to meet our targets.
We're even looking at the possibility of rainwater harvesting for toilet
water and other non critical water applications. Unfortunately, after
investing in a study to find out if we could install a wind turbine on
site, we were told it wouldn't be possible in the space we have available
if we plan to expand in the future which of course we do. All Kestrel's
offices are also fully equipped with paper and can recycling bins to make
it easy for all our employees to do their bit, with over £200 being
raised for Breast Cancer through recycling drinks cans.
'We believe Kestrel is the only brand of plastic building product to offer
a Calcium Organic Skin and Core,' continues Paul, 'but we want to do our
bit for the environment as well as helping our customers and the homeowners
they sell to, do their bit.'
Latium Building Products is the controlling business of Kestrel, Celuform
and BCE plastic building product brands. Part of the privately owned Latium
Group, each of the three brands has a very separate and different identity
and is focussed on different markets.
Across the three brands, house builders, specifiers, distributors, installers
and homeowners can find the best solution for their individual needs.
The three brands also operate internationally with their main export markets
currently in France and Ireland as well as the UK. For more information
on any of the brands visit www.latiumbp.co.uk
which will allow you access to all three individually branded websites.
Bolton-based
The Elecon Group which includes Proactive Procurement and Foilcraft in
its portfolio has just acquired the assets and goodwill of A.P.C, a long
established supplier of conservatory accessories to the trade.
The deal has obvious synergies with Proactive Procurement which is arguably
the UK's leading supplier of components and accessories to the conservatory
trade and will further expand the company's offering. Within the deal,
as well as acquiring a good customer base, Proactive will also now benefit
from having their own powder coating plant within the Group along with
other light engineering plant and equipment. These will be located at
their Washington facility.
Peter Gray, managing director of The Elecon Group comments: 'This is an
exciting move for the Group and not only will it make us more independent,
but will give us greater control and flexibility. This is not only great
news for the customers of both Proactive and A.P.C but also our employees
too and we will again be looking to expand our workforce..
Sheerframe
systems company L.B. Plastics has seen an 80% increase in sales of its
technically enhanced vertical sliding sash window. The company says that
the advanced window system continues to win market share in newbuild and
replacement markets due to a great range of aesthetic and technical innovation.
‘The Sheerframe vertical sliding sash window features one of the
most advanced balancing systems in the market and delivers very smooth
operation using constant force technology,’ says Mike Butterick,
the head of the newbuild division at L.B. Plastics. ‘The system also
offers a unique egress version combining additional safety benefits with
high performance.’
Aesthetically the Sheerframe vertical sliding sash window offers good
sightlines and replicates timber window styling with a range of features
such as deep bottom rails and ovolo detailing offering further scope for
bespoke windows.
All Sheerframe windows use a multi chambered profile system and deliver
enhanced thermal performance and a proven low maintenance, long service
life.
Mike Butterick says, ‘More specifiers and fabricators are recognising
the technical benefits of the Sheerframe vertical sliding sash window.
With the additional reassurance of fire escape and high thermal performance
combined with improved aesthetics, the Sheerframe system is ideal for
new build and replacement installations.’
Web: http://www.sheerframe.co.uk
Padiham
Glass Offers Highest Specification Units as Standard
Following
its £2 million investment, Padiham Glass Ltd is giving its customers
the chance to stay ahead of the competition with the highest thermal performance
sealed units. Padiham's 1200 units a day will contain Edgetech's Super
Spacer(r) with built in energy saving and soft coat glass as standard.
'We've invested in our purpose built 35,000 sq ft plant and buying new
machinery to ensure our 80 strong customer base is getting added value
products at no additional cost,' explains Wes Clarkson, Sales Director
at Padiham Glass.
'The combination of components in our units will allow companies to achieve
the highest energy ratings, and with the Window Energy Rating trend set
to continue, the better the energy performance, the better the sales and
profitability for our customers. The units offer more than simply energy
efficiency however.
'They also offer exceptional clarity, improved sound insulation, durability
and improved condensation resistance - all features to make the sale to
the homeowner easier.'
As
one of the leading names in the glass and glazing industry, the Promac
Group will once again have an impressive presence at the Glassex-GP&T
exhibition, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from 8-10 April 2008.
Exhibiting the latest developments in machinery, the Promac stand is a
vital stop off point for all PVC fabricators, aluminium fabricators and
glass processors.
Each year Promac introduces new machinery and service initiatives to the
industry, viewing the exhibition as the perfect launch platform. Next
year's show will be no different as Promac introduces new machinery, designed
to improve efficiencies in the factory and take the cost out of fabrication
and glass processing to fabricators or all sizes and glass processors.
For full details of exhibiting companies at Glassex-GP&T, visit www.gexhibition.com.
Rockdoor
Invests £120,000 in Machinery
Composite
door manufacturer Rockdoor has invested £120,000 in new machinery
at its state-of-the-art factory in Blackburn. The investment includes
a new Vacuum Forming machine which will increase capacity by up to 50%.
Rockdoor is also updating its existing machinery as part of its programme
to streamline the manufacturing process to create the most advanced composite
door manufacturing facility in Europe.
The investment is also being made to keep ahead of growth in demand of
the domestic retail market. In 2007 production of Rockdoor has increased
by 56%.
Rockdoor is the only engineered solid PVC-U door on the market offering
strength, security and durability as well as energy efficiency and low
maintenance.
Sales Director Mark Simm comments: 'Once the new equipment has been installed
it will significantly increase our capacity. By streamlining the manufacturing
process we can increase production and cut lead times to keep ahead of
customer demand.'
VEKA
Goes Live at the Building Centre
VEKA
plc has signed a contract with the Building Centre in London that means
that the Centre's extensive database of specifiers and architects now
has full and unlimited access to all VEKA products and services!
'This
is a major step forward for VEKA,' says John Warburton Marketing and Strategic
Development Manager of the company.
'The Building Centre is held in the highest esteem within the construction
industry and we are delighted to become associated with such a useful
organisation which has a 75 year pedigree behind it! Not only is our entire
literature now physically stocked in the library, but every aspect of
VEKA can now be accessed online via the Building Centre website www.buildingcentre.co.uk.
The most up to date brochures, news and press releases can be viewed by
anyone who visits the site and simply by registering, enquirers will be
directed to our team of specialists within the window and door markets.'
With a huge database of specifiers and architects, The Building Centre
offers advice and resources including an authoritative reference service
for professional specifiers through its established range of services.
The Centre currently attracts over 2,300 visitors and delegates each week
and is focused on providing information, inspiration and a vital link
between products, technology and design.
'The Building Centre has built up a well deserved reputation for excellence
in serving the industry,' continues John. 'As an example of its influence,
while we were presenting to the staff at the Centre, we were approached
by a company interested in receiving more information about our extensive
product range. The facility that the Building Centre offers means that
we can carefully and accurately monitor enquiries and respond quickly
to those involved in the planning decisions of buildings.'
One area of particular interest to the Centre is VEKA's environmental
policies, in particular regarding recycling.
'With our quality product range and environmentally responsible operations,
we are confident that our presence within the Building Centre will generate
an enormous amount of interest to the construction industry, notably within
the commercial sector which will increase our profile with leading architects
and specifiers and thus increase our future profitability,' concludes
John.
The
sliding sash is back and Sash UK is cornering the market with sales of
its Sash Vertical Slider reaching dizzy heights since the launch of this
stunning window option earlier this year. 'Demand has been unprecedented,'
announces David Ruzicka Managing Director of Sash. 'Traditionally, vertical
sliders have always been associated with high costs and high maintenance
but with modern technological advances in our production processing of
PVCu, the sliding sash has made a huge comeback with a vengeance!'
With its authentic period styling and performance potential that meets
all of the environmental and thermal criteria of current legislation,
the Sash VS stays immaculate for years with the minimum of maintenance
requirements. Modern features include high security locking with an Ovolo
design used on the outer frame with surface mounted Astragal Georgian
bars that come fitted either internally or externally, and sash horns
are also available.
'The popularity of the Sash VS has so far been completely across the board,'
continues David. 'We have a large new build project for which the product
has been specified and we also have orders for terraced homes that want
authentic period replacement windows. Scotland in particular has embraced
the new product range. Effectively we have proved that the market for
traditional sliding sash is still very much alive and by reintroducing
our vertical slider concept to a very receptive market, we are satisfying
the need for a top quality, aesthetically pleasing, affordable period
windows.'
Select
Systems Invests £3m In Major Expansion
Essex-based
Select Systems has invested in Business Micros' Evolution software package
as part of a £3m investment in new CNC automated machinery.
Select had used Business Micros' WinStar package for more than 16 years
but switched to Evolution when it was looking for an IT solution which
could provide the right platform for a major future expansion.
Currently manufacturing exclusively for the trade market in the Duraflex
system, Select produces 2,000 frames per week but is looking to increase
that to 2,500 by the end of 2007 and 5,000 by 2012.
MD Jeff Cole has been joined by new Operations Director Des Golach, ex
of Speedframe and Alan Clarke, formerly Sales Director at the Whiteline
Group, and they have put together a five year plan which will see Select
target the new build and social housing sectors as well as adding new
products to its range.
Jeff Cole says: 'Select is a very ambitious business which is determined
not only to retain its status as the biggest independent Duraflex fabricator
in the UK but to become one of the biggest trade fabricators in any system.
'The new machinery and software is an important part of our expansion
which will also include a fully automated sealed unit and toughening plant
in 2008. We chose Business Micros as the software partner to work with
us as we grow because they are the market leaders with the infrastructure
and resources to support us and the technical expertise to be able to
deliver the bespoke solutions we will need.'
The Evolution software is managing all of Select's production and order
processing and can easily keep pace with the company's planned expansion.
It has options which allow for on-line tracking of jobs using the latest
barcode scanning technology, on line ordering and order tracking for customers
and crucially for Select access to unparalleled levels of management information
at the touch of a button.
Selecta
Invests £1 Million In New Expansion Programme
PVC-u
extruders Selecta Systems has invested over £1 million in a new
expansion programme at the Birmingham state-of-the-art extrusion plant.
The company that has established a reputation for quality and reliability
for over 25 years is strengthening its commitment to customer satisfaction.
Selecta
has seen considerable but steady growth in recent years with many innovative
products launched including the Advance 70mm profile system. The new expansion
phase includes the purchase of new equipment as well as staff investment.
Bob Heeley has been appointed as General Manager and will play a fundamental
role in monitoring and maintaining the internal structure and methods
of practice in all departments. He has a wealth of experience in a supervisory
role and his appointment is considered pivotal to further raising standards
at the company.
With quality being a fundamental aspect of the company philosophy, staff
at Selecta Systems enjoy a strong working relationship with customers
which is built upon trust. With product demand increasing across the entire
range senior management considered further investment imperative in order
to maintain and further improve standards.
After achieving 'A' rating status with the Advance 70mm system the company
has further demonstrated the quality associated with Selecta products
with investment in new machinery that includes a new extruder as well
as two new fork lift trucks.
Many new and existing customers are keen to invest in the Selecta range
as the product guarantees and support services remain consistently high.
The continued period of growth for products including the Advance 70 mm
profile system and the composite door range has also resulted in the expansion
of the delivery fleet which now has an additional two new 24 tonne lorries.
Mark Richmond, Sales and Marketing Director, comments, 'With the superior
design of our products and the 'A' rating status of the Advance 70mm system
it was essential to instigate a development programme as demand has increased
substantially.'
He continues, 'This will further establish Selecta and will reinforce
our leading market position as our customers expect service and quality,
traditional values that are synonymous with this company. Bob has already
proved invaluable as he has streamlined services and considerably increased
efficiency.
The new equipment will enable us to increase output considerably whilst
the additions to our fleet emphasises the importance of delivering profile
swiftly to accommodate our customers schedules.'
The industry standards and 'A' rating status demonstrate the technical
superiority of the Selecta Systems' range something in which many customers
have shown considerable interest.
Mark Richmond concludes, 'This is the first phase of our investment programme
as we will also be recruiting new staff to support the sales division.
It is vital to uphold the integrity of the company and to reassure customers
that their needs will be met..
While
many companies talk of quality and excellence, Shepley Windows have introduced
a number of processes and procedures to help achieve such high standards,
thanks to new working practices.
Shepley
is widely regarded throughout the industry as one of the very best fabricators,
a reputation that has been built on delivering total customer satisfaction
in terms of customer interaction and product quality. While much of the
industry is driven by price it's often at the expense of quality and the
company believes that overall best value is the preferred approach for
everyone in the longer-term.
Shepley has recently introduced a new production manager, Ray Hemmings,
who along with operations director, Tony Fry, have implemented these new
working practices which have improved quality levels throughout the manufacturing
function. Ray has also bought his experience from other manufacturing
industries and this is something that Shepley has also tapped in to in
other departments.
Given that Shepley manufactures several window systems under the Visage
brand using Veka, Deceuninck and Rehau profiles in separate fabrication
plants, the company is able to benefit from increased levels of flexibility
without any adverse effect on service or product quality. The company
employs 4 engineers across these production sites and are supported by
dedicated patrol inspectors who also work directly with the production
line leaders. In addition, Shepley also benefits from a technical audit
from one of its systems suppliers and is looking to adopt this across
the board as an additional quality measure.
Tony Fry comments: 'We are proud of the reputation that we have built
and have had a number of customers approach us over recent months as their
supplier has been unable to provide a consistent level of quality. Our
working practices are not only very effective but provide increased flexibility
for our customers and that's the Shepley difference'.
Euroglas
Keeps it's Edge with Cutmaster Gold from Bohle
Objects
just millimetres in diameter are playing a crucial part in significant
improvements in efficiency and cost reductions in the production of more
than 500 tonnes of float glass per day at one of Europe's major producers.
Euroglas, at its Haldersleben plant near Magdeburg, Germany, has achieved
what it believes are major benefits for its 24/7 float glass process using
Bohle's Cutmaster Gold cutting wheels, which are just 5.6mm in diameter!
Installed in a float line more than 400 metres long Euroglas switched
to the Cutmaster Gold cutting wheels from Bohle's Silberschnitt range,
from traditional carbide wheels, with a significant improvement in performance
and reduction in costs. ‘A few months ago we began using the new
Cutmaster Gold wheels for edge cutting’, explains Peter Altenschmidt,
Specialist Engineer, Cutting, at Euroglas Haldensleben. ‘With this
new development Bohle achieves the combination between cost reductions
by offering extended service life, with improved cutting quality due to
the special material composition of the coating.’
Improvements in this small but crucial component are very important, says
Peter: ‘A long service life of the cutting wheel is a major priority
‘, he says, ‘because each time a wheel is exchanged and you
intervene in the production process, potentially expensive risks are involved’.
The extraordinarily long service life of the Cutmaster Gold wheel minimises
this factor: ‘Use of the Cutmaster Gold wheels allows us to achieve
service lives that are at least ten times as long as that of standard
cutting wheels - while maintaining consistently high cutting quality throughout
their lifespan. At our facilities Cutmaster Gold has achieved high cutting
performances over more than 300 km of glass, which until now only high-priced
wheels of polycrystalline diamond could attain. Cutmaster Gold has surpassed
even our expectations’, Peter states.
Euroglas and Bohle share more than just a supplier-customer relationship.
Euroglas has trialled a number of products for Bohle, which result in
benefits for both parties. Managing Director of Bohle UK, Gary Dean, says
that this is something the company is willing to discuss with any of its
customers: ‘We are very happy to work with customers to find the
best Bohle solutions for their specific needs,’ explains Gary, ‘whether
it is for sophisticated machinery or cutting wheels and other consumables.
We have such a wide offer now we will have the right solution, and we
usually find it very quickly,’ he added.
Web: http://www.bohle.ltd.uk
First
Shutter Fabrication Partners for Everwhite
Swansea-based UK Trade Shutters opens its doors in September 2007, fabricating Everwhite's PVC-UE louvred internal shutter system. Anthony Jones, former-Group Managing Director of Plastic Building Materials saw Everwhite's shutters in his previous role and was impressed. As he watched the demand for shutters grow in the UK, he identified a potentially profitable gap in the market.
Anthony
Jones, founder of UK Trade Shutters, comments: ‘I'm delighted to
be working with Everwhite to bring the company’s unique PVC-UE internal
shutters to the trade nationwide. With the current team, UK Trade Shutters'
capacity will be around 80 framed shutter units a week. But the manufacturing
process is designed to cope with any demand our customers can throw at
us and we're anticipating a lot!’
Tel: 01685 882 447
Web: http://www.everwhite.biz
GAP's
New Central Warehouse in Blackburn Open for Business
GAP's
new central warehouse in Blackburn is open for business. The depot is
the largest stockist's warehouse in the country at 45,000 sq ft including
a 1,500 sq ft trade counter. GAP, the home improvement stockists, is launching
a new range of products from the depot including electrical fittings,
power tools, plastering equipment together with many other products. These
products will soon be available across the GAP network, as well as online
at http://www.gap.uk.com.
Joint Managing Director Simon Bird comments: ‘Our central warehouse
offers a different, easier style of shopping as customers can pick items
off the shelf rather than being served at the counter. The new product
ranges have been added to help customers take advantage of the booming
home improvement market. We want to offer the most comprehensive range
of products to our customers to help them grow.’
The central warehouse is at Partnership Way, Shadsworth Business Park,
Blackburn. It will be officially opened by the Right Honourable Jack Straw
MP on Friday 19th October 2007.
Tel: 01254 682888
MACO
500 Tests to Window Perfection
MACO has been promoting quality through best practice procedures as part of the company’s contribution to improvement in the industry. A fundamental part of the manufacturing and fabrication process is the control of quality and the pushing for higher standards. MACO products contribute to compliance standards BS7950; BS7412, PAS023, PAS024.
From
left to right; Dave Smith (MACO Technical Manager), Petita Wiles (MACO
Marketing Coordinator), Mike Carroll (Glazerite) and Veronica Adams (MACO
SE Sales Manager).
Group
policy has directed the company along the 'Partnership' route working
with its customers. An integral part of the process is assisting with
quality control through testing, and comprehensive facilities were introduced
in 1999. Partnership covers not just the Fabricator, but also the profile
manufacturers and the distributors who play a critical role in the overall
window manufacturing package.
Now, with the testing station established for almost eight years, MACO
welcomed Mike Carroll from Glazerite Windows to the 500th session at the
MACO Sittingbourne, Kent HQ. The initial investment by the company in
this facility was in the region of £50,000 and it has seen continued
use with on average two tests completed each week. The onward additional
investment in man-hours and technical collaboration has passed a further
investment in the region of £80.000 since initiation.
Comprehensive facilities include a Hard and Soft Body Impact Rig which
is specifically used for testing to PAS024; a Mechanical Loading Rig used
for type testing windows to BS7950 and doors to PAS024 together with an
Air and Water rig which complies with the latest requirements of BS7412
and is also used for testing doors in accordance with PAS023.
With average compliance tests costing in the region of £3000-£4000,
the service provided by MACO is significant to the success of many of
its customers. By getting the product right prior to committing to formal
testing, fabricators are able to iron out any unforeseen problems beforehand.
Technical backup is part of the offer, all tests are documented and the
customer supplied with test reports and video footage.
And the cost to MACO's customers? Nothing, the service is entirely free.
Tel: 01795 433900
Email p.wiles@macouk.net
Web: http://www.macouk.net
New
Glue Line Ups Panels Run Rate at Phoenix
Significant
investment in a new third glue line has upped weekly run rate to in excess
of 1,500 panels a week at Phoenix Door Panels Ltd, enabling the company
to ensure the service levels are maintained through the busy autumn period.
The
new plant is also key to servicing the needs of new accounts secured in
the North East, East and South West, which have contributed to a rise
of nearly 20% in sales since the beginning of 2007.
Cambridgeshire-based Phoenix Door Panels is one of the largest privately-owned
door panel manufacturers in the UK and currently supplies more than 550
fabricators and installers throughout the UK and parts of Europe.
This investment is taking the company to new levels of growth, predominantly
in the domestic market with its extensive Cambridgeshire Door Panel Collection.
All Phoenix door panels are constructed using high quality 1.5mm PVC-U
skins and feature glazing from the company's in-house glass toughening
plant and dedicated glass shop.
Managing Director Neil Peck says the new equipment increases both capacity
and efficiency to meet rising demand from customers, as well as introducing
more flexibility into the production process.
‘Each line is dedicated to producing a particular product - be it
flats, Euro-size or standard- run panels - so we don't have to compromise
production of any panel type if there is an uplift in demand,' explains
Neil. 'However, there is still sufficient flexibility to adapt and respond
to exceptional requirements where necessary.
'Many of our customers are on short lead times, so we recognise the need
for speed to service the market. They can have the confidence to say to
their customers 'yes, I'll start that job a week on Monday', knowing that
the exact panel they ordered will be delivered in time and on time,’
he adds.
For more information, contact Phoenix Door Panels on 01487 740469 or visit
the website at http://www.phoenixdoorpanels.co.uk.
Sash
UK Makes the Future Cristal Clear
Forming
a strategic alliance with Sash UK has seen Shropshire based conservatory
company, Cristal Clear Limited go from strength to strength since its
inception.
Specialising in new build packages for house-builders across the length
and breadth of the UK, Cristal Clear found the perfect supplier in Sash
and has seen the company deliver quality-glazing solutions quickly and
efficiently time after time.
Cristal Clear is one of the few specialist companies in the UK to offer
a complete turnkey service for the conservatory market in new build. The
company is the approved supplier for Taylor Woodrow (now Taylor Wimpey),
giving it the exclusivity of providing conservatories to the midlands,
southeast and the eastern, southern and southwest regions of the UK. Also
Cristal Clear supplies to Persimmon Homes and has won contracts for the
Anglia region and the much-acclaimed Thames Valley region.
Commenting on the key to its success, Cristal Clear's founder and managing
director, Chirstine Jones said: ‘We specialise in delivering peace
of mind to our customers, meaning that we oversee the full installation
package from design concepts to fabrication, installation, electrics and
handover giving the house-builder the benefit of a seamless approach.
Of course none of this would be at all possible if we did not have first
class suppliers on our books...and Sash is certainly one of these. Sash
has been instrumental in supplying our conservatories to the specification
required, turning around orders quickly and to the highest standards possible.
They really are first rate.’
With the new build market growing, and more and more house-builders realising
the full potential of adding a fully fitted conservatories to their properties,
Cristal Clear is not resting on its laurels and is already in negotiations
with other national house-builders who will be joining its more than satisfied
customer base shortly.
‘Becoming a supplier that our customers rely on implicitly is something
that we pride ourselves on, making sure that we understand and cater for
their business needs completely,’ comments Sash UK's managing director
Dave Ruzicka. ‘Having dominated the market place and being industry
leaders has enabled us to hone our technical skills and abilities in fabrication
to produce structures of excellence...and this is something that does
not go unnoticed. We are delighted to be working alongside a company of
a like-minded attitude and certainly believe this is one company that
should be watched very closely!’
If you are interested in finding out more about Cristal Clear please call
01939 290537 or email christine@cristalclear.co.uk
for further details.
Complaint
against Phoenix Structural Supplies Ltd Not Upheld
A
complaint objecting to a magazine advertisement for Phoenix Structural
Supplies Ltd, Great Barr, Birmingham was not upheld according to information
published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Ad
An ad, in Roofing, Cladding and Insulation magazine, stated ‘Phoenix
Structural Supplies Ltd have developed a support bar system based on a
stronger C section. After stringent testing the system was found to compare
very favourably against other systems available in the marketplace.
Issue
Ash & Lacy Building systems objected that the claim ‘the system
was found to compare very favourably against other systems’ was inaccurate
and misleading because their own product performed better in in-house
tests. They also challenged the claim ‘a stronger C section’.
The CAP Code: 3.1;7.1;19.1
Response
Phoenix Structural Supplies Ltd (Phoenix) said the tests on their GR8
Support Bar System were carried out by Ceram Building Technology (Ceram),
an independent agency. They said they had the GR8BAR system tested to
the industry standard test, the MCRMA test, to which all support bar systems
were tested. They supplied a copy of the test, which constituted various
loading and detachment tests on the brackets and the bars that made up
support bar systems.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA noted Ash & Lacys tests were carried out at their own test
centre rather than by an independent agency. We considered that, to avoid
possible bias, any tests that compared the two products should be carried
out by an independent source. We obtained a copy of the industry standard
MCRMA test on Ash & Lacys Ashgrid support bar system, carried out
by Ceram, which we compared with Phoenixs MCRMA test on the advertised
GR8BAR system, which was also carried out by Ceram.
We obtained expert advice from Ceram as to the parts of the MCRMA test
that best demonstrated favourable structural performance. We understood
that a high value for the positive load test was useful when a roof was
loaded out under construction, and also when snow loaded the roof or when
the wind put pressure on walls. We compared the load tests onto bracket
and onto bar mid-span for the two systems; we noted Phoenixs GR8BAR system
had slightly lower values than Ash & Lacys Ashgrid for the load test
onto bracket but had considerably higher values for the load test onto
bar mid-span than Ashgrid. We noted Cerams advice that the C section referred
to the bar of the bar and bracket system. We understood that the load
test onto bar mid-span was the best measure of the strength of the C section.
We understood that the bracket detachment test could be regarded as an
important test to demonstrate structural performance, because bracket
detachment would be an issue due to wind suction throughout the life of
the system and could generate the largest loads. We noted the maximum
load for Ashgrid was slightly higher than for the GR8BAR. We also compared
the sway load tests, which we understood were considered to be important
measures of performance during the construction stage. We noted the GR8BAR
could bear a considerably higher load than could Ashgrid before the brackets
bent or collapsed. We understood that the test pushing across the bar
and applying the load to the bracket would be important if an aluminium
roof cover was used, and noted the GR8BAR results were substantially better
than those for Ashgrid for that test.
We considered that the claim ‘the system was found to compare very
favourably against other systems’ did not imply that all aspects
of the product would necessarily outperform rivals. We acknowledged that
Ashgrid outperformed GR8BAR in two tests but noted the differences in
performance in those tests were only slight, and that in the three other
tests GR8BAR was shown to be considerably stronger. We considered Phoenix
had demonstated favourable structural performance. We also considered
that Phoenix had substantiated the claim ‘stronger C section’
because their product performed better in the load test onto the bar mid-span.
We concluded that the ad was not misleading.
We investigated the ad under CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1
(Truthfulness) and 19.1 (Fair comparison) but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action required.