Product Launches September 2004

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K2 Glass Turns Up the Heat with Celsius 1.1

K2 has announced the launch of an advanced thermal performance glass with a 'u' value of 1.1. Celsius 1.1 adds to K2 Glass's Celsius range, replacing Celsius+ for installations that require additional heat retention. The new product maintains the solar factor and light transmission properties of standard Celsius glass, and will be available from K2 Glass's Blackburn plant within 5-7 days of order.

Comments Dave Bradshaw, Managing Director of K2 Glass (pictured): 'The 'U' value of 1.4 provided by standard Celsius Glass offers excellent temperature control for the majority of installations, but we decided to focus our continuous R&D research on finding a solution for more exposed properties. Conservatory installations in coastal areas and on higher ground often have to deal with extremes of temperature and Celsius 1.1 will be an ideal roofing solution as it helps maintain a temperate environment - whatever the weather.'

More than 70,000m2 of standard Celsius Glass has been installed in conservatories since the product was launched less than eighteen months ago. Though the company expects Celsius 1.1 to be a more niche product, it forecasts strong sales.

Dave Bradshaw continues: 'We had a strong track record in the glass industry for 13 years as CCG Ltd and since our acquisition by K2 in 2003 we have had access to additional resources, enabling us to invest in innovative product development and business expansion. We have added an additional 15 staff over the past year to help us manage service levels as demand has increased and will be developing a new hub operation in Southern England due to open in July 2004 to allow deliveries before midday across the country.

'The launch of Celsius 1.1 further extends our market-leading position in the thermal performance glass sector and we believe that the excellent aesthetics and functionality of our products, along with our commitment to customer service, will keep us at the top.'

Tel: 01204 554554
Email: mailto:enquiries@k2conservatories.com
Web: http://www.k2conservatories.com


New 32mm Options from Eurocell

An increasing number of people within the industry are recognising the benefits of using thicker polycarbonates. As a result Eurocell has announced some new product enhancements for its Pinnacle Roof System to allow the use of 32mm polycarbonate.

These include a full range of glazing bar top caps suitable for all design situations. Also included is a new ridge glazing trim and polycarbonate glazing end trim, along with ridge and lean-to variable supports.
The 32mm option has also had a great deal of drive from the Eurocell network of Roof fabricators. They too have seen the market changing and have asked Eurocell to bring forward the option. As a result new tooling has been ordered and introduced to make the innovations possible.

Eurocell Profiles is based in Alfreton Derbyshire and manufactures the Pinnacle bespoke conservatory system and Pinnacle 500 Modular Lean to Roof. Eurocell also manufactures a range of window, door and curtain walling systems as well as manufacturing and distributing a wide range of PVCu building products from a nationwide network of Building Centres.

Tel: 01773 842 100
Email: mailto:marketing@eurocell.co.uk
Web: http://www.eurocell.co.uk


Reclaim Your Conservatory - Fit Smart Poly

'The conservatory can be a valuable addition to any home, but as every owner can testify, it can become unbearably hot in the summer sunshine and too cold for comfort in the winter - making it unusable for much of the year. says Roger Balcombe from Tec-Sun.

'What everyone wants is a 'garden room', a space where people can enjoy being outside - inside. Homeowners now see their conservatory as just another room which they want to use all year round and at all times of the day. However, conservatories can suffer from a number of problems that prevent this:

* The conservatory can overheat in summer sunshine
* Glare from the sun makes the room uncomfortably bright
* Ultraviolet light fades fabrics and furniture
* The room is too cold in winter

'These are serious problems affecting the value of the room - and if they aren't addressed, the conservatory won't be of any real use.

'Blinds are the usual - but expensive - answer. The average 3x3m conservatory will need over £1500 spent on blinds, a cost few conservatory companies mention at the time of purchase. But not only are blinds expensive, they are inefficient and difficult to maintain. Traditional fabric or pleated blinds will only reject 17% of the solar heat entering the room, with even the most efficient 'metalised' blinds only rejecting 60% - hardly high performance. Crucially, blinds significantly reduce the amount of daylight in the conservatory, and for many people this goes against everything it stands for.

'There is a better way. A system that's more effective than blinds, lets in more light and needs no maintenance. Called Smart Poly, it's a roofing polycarbonate with integral solar protection that prevents up to 80% of the sun's solar energy from entering the conservatory through the roof, helping to keep the room a comfortable temperature all day and all year round. During the winter, heat is lost through the conservatory roof, but a Smart Poly roof will reflect much of this heat back into the room, making the conservatory comfortable and usable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Smart Poly doesn't affect the appearance of the conservatory: clear blue daylight is visible during the day, while the roof becomes opaque at night, bouncing light back into the conservatory to give a more room-like feel.

'Smart Poly has all the advantages of blinds but it is installed at the point of manufacture. It can also be retrofitted to existing conservatory roofs if the existing blinds aren't up to the job - either by an expert or as a DIY product. And unlike blinds, Smart Poly requires no maintenance and no cleaning. Tried and tested in over 10,000 conservatories across the UK, Smart Poly( brings new levels of comfort and energy efficiency to any conservatory - so it can be used every day.'

For more information about Smart Poly solar inserts and conservatory polycarbonate, please contact Roger Balcombe at Tec-Sun on 01206 822100.


First There Was an Elephant, Then a Lamb, Now a Pony

UAP, the supplier of decorative door furniture, has launched another doorknocker using the description of an animal.

John Cross, sales Manager of UAP explains, ‘We have a large range of different doorknockers and no matter what we call them, over time many of our customers have described these items in more everyday terms. First there was the 'elephant's trunk' to describe our Georgian Scroll Knocker, then there was the 'lambs tail'. Now we have launched a new doorknocker with the name 'Pony's tail'. We were asked to develop this product using this description by a customer. We couldn't think of a better way to describe it ourselves, and so the name has stuck.’

UAP has supplied the UK PVCu door and window market for nearly 10 years, selling over £3 million of product annually. The company was the first to collect a range of different door furniture products including numerals, letterplates and handles that exactly match in finish, shade and sheen levels. All UAP products have a long-term life span and guarantees of up to 10 years.

Together with the company’s Victorian 6" Gold Anodised colour products and its Victoriani style products, UAP says that it probably has the widest selection of doorknockers available.

Cross says ‘We believe that we have a reputation for quality, service and value for money. Indeed, we probably have the most extensive range of 'next-day' available doorknockers and ancillary items in the UK. Any order for standard stock received before 12 noon is despatched that same day, and delivered the next by Insured Carrier.’

Tel: 0161 763 5290
Email: mailto:uap@btconnect.com
Web: http://www.universal-imports.com


Nico Introduces Supercoat 500

Nico Manufacturing, UK manufacturer of friction hinges and locking devices for the window industry, has introduced a new finish - Supercoat 500.

Carried out at Nico’s in-house automatic plating plant – recently installed as part of a major investment programme – the company says that Supercoat 500 offers significant advantages over traditional zinc passivate.

The coating process, which incorporates a silicon layer chemically-bonded into the surface, produces an attractive finish with up to 500 hours salt spray performance – more than double the requirements of the relevant BS standard BS 1670:1998 Class 4 (240 hours).

Unlike traditional zinc plating normally used for Nico Shootbolts, Espagnolette Bolts, Keeps and X-tra Bolts, Supercoat 500 offers an alternative bright silver finish which complements the standard steel finish of Nico friction hinges.

Contact: Graham Pateman
Tel: 01255 422333
Email: mailto:sales@nico.co.uk
Web: http://www.nico.co.uk


Glasbond – Adhesives with Clear Advantages

Following the release of the Delo Glasbond range of adhesives earlier this year, Inseto (UK) Ltd, Delo’s UK agent, says that it has been inundated with requests for further information and samples of the products.

The main competence of Delo’s business has been in light curing technology and the Glasbond range has been developed over the last few years by its R&D department specifically for bonding glass. The Glasbond range are single part, UV curing adhesives that the company says offer the following advantages:

 

High strength with low tension at the joint, Optimum moisture resistance, High transparency even after prolonged sunlight, Refraction index similar to glass, Good bonding even without primer and a product range that covers glass/glass, glass/metal and glass/plastic bonds.

Delo’s R&D team have performed many comparative tests during the development and many known products on the market show restrictions with moisture resistance and light fastness. Poor light fastness leads to among other things the yellowing of the bond, which does not only effect the optical transparency of the bond but can also reduce the bond strength. Delo claims that its Glasbond range shows outstanding results after prolonged sunlight illumination and ageing tests.

Companies interested in the Glasbond range so far include: Crystal Glass manufacturers for speed and clarity, Architectural Glazing due to the high strength and ageing properties, Jewellery makers for fast processing and invisible bonds, Glass Furniture makers for strength and clarity and Decorative Glass processors due to its competitive pricing.

You can find more information about Inseto at http://www.inseto.co.uk or Delo at http://www.delo.de

Contact: Richard Hoare
Tel: +44 (0) 1264 334 505
Email: mailto:richard@inseto.co.uk


Promac Delivers the Cutting Edge

A range of high capacity, automatic saws designed specifically for the curtain walling contractor or high volume aluminium fabricator is available from Promac Group. The machines from Emmegi are exclusive to Promac in the UK and include the industry standard 5-metre, Classic Start Magic. This twin-head machine is a high volume saw, equipped with two carbide tipped blades, fully automatic cutting heads, pneumatic clamps and features the Lubrica injection or venturi oil mist, lubrication system.

Also available isthe 6-metre, Emmegi Twin Electra Sun. Possessing all the features of the Classic Start Magic, the precision Twin Electra Sun delivers a range of cutting angles from 45 degrees internal to 22.5 degrees external, with an accuracy of 240 positions within each degree, all driven by a servo motor system. The Twin Electra Sun offers accuracy, versatility and efficiency for fabricators processing all types of aluminium profile in high volumes.

Tel: 01788 577577
Web: http://www.promac.co.uk


New Cladding Range

Freefoam Plastics has extended its range of cellular extruded cladding boards with the introduction of the new Open V cladding system, available in white, pale gold or woodgrain effect.

The cladding profile, which can be used internally or externally, is 100mm wide and comes with a 2 part trim system for easy and convenient installation onsite.

'The new Open V range strengthens our cladding offering to stockists and installers who have a demand for a system with a distinguished V groove joint’, comments Tony Eagles, Freefoam National Sales Manager.

‘This style is popular for use in dormer applications and can be installed vertically as well as horizontally, giving the installer more flexibility and choice.’

Freefoam also offers a Shiplap cladding system as well as a range of fascia/reveal liners, full replacement and new build boards and accessories.

For further information, prices or samples call Freefoam direct on 01604 759871 in the UK or 021 4911055 in Ireland. Or email mailto:marketing@freefoam.com


Kombimatec Equipment Can Bend it, Shape it, Anyway you Want it

'To cope with the increasing demand for shaped windows GTI has compiled a set of bending equipment at a price that makes it accessible for many more fabricators to carryout this function in-house and provide a better service to their customers.' says the company.

The PBM1 Bending Kit comprises a profile heating chamber to warm the profiles prior to bending. A table equipped with various bending aids to produce round, arched or bowed frames and the formers, manufactured to suit the fabricators profile system, to maintain the integral shape of the profile during the bending process.

The AFV368 End Milling Machine end preps the transoms or mullions by using the already bent profile as a template to follow the curvature of the frame and replicate the exact radius of the frame to the end of the transom bar. The machine can also be used for conventional end milling operations including square or non right-angle joints.

Welding after bending is made easier with the new EKS432MAN single head variable angle welder because it has manual clamps allowing individual pressures to each side of the joint. This permits the operator to adjust the pressures to level and align the surfaces of the two profiles to be joined. With the heater plate mounted below the table the uncluttered area above provides the operator with a clear view of the joint to be made.

GTI Kombimatec has an extensive partner reference list and invites its customers to visit the design and manufacturing plant in Luton, England to see machines being built to high exacting standards.

Tel: 01582 455 934
Web: http://www.kombimatec.com


Hoppe Munich Series with Resista® Finish

The Hoppe Munich Series of door handles, which the company says have been popular in the UK market for many years, are being upgraded with the new Hoppe Resista® finish. The traditional styling of the lever and backplate are complemented by the new finish which is both decorative and hardwearing.

Resista® offers resistance to corrosion and tarnishing and scratch resistance. Hoppe door handles with the Resista® finish will be supplied with a 10 Year surface guarantee.

The introduction of the new finish complements the polished chrome finish that is also now available on the Munich range.

Hoppe has also introduced additional finishes to the Designer range of door handles. Polished brass styles previously available only in the F71, polished and lacquered finish, will now also be available with the new Hoppe Resista® finish.

Maintaining the two tone appearance, the Athinai, Bergen, Phoenix and Capri designs will all now feature the combination of Resista® finish on the backplate and neck with a chrome grip. The Rodos series also will be available with the new finish.


A New Build Feline Classic

The KAT UK Classic sash window is a suitable solution for prestigious New Build developments requiring premium products at reasonable prices. Fully compliant with all relevant English and Scottish building regulations, NHBC approved, and available with a cavity closer as standard, the KAT UK Classic sash window gives an upmarket feel to a stylish new building.

The KAT Classic is fabricated using a slim 112mm outer frame and small ovolo sashes, which slide out for ease of installation. Windows can be made up to a size of 1200mm x 2100mm with both sashes still able to tilt and slide.

Aesthetically, the Classic retains a quality feel through premium fixtures and fittings. For example, hardware is available in gold, white and chrome, and two types of decorative horn are available. Foil finish wise the Classic is available in white, mahogany and golden oak as standard.

Technically the KAT Classic recently achieved BS7412, and has wind ratings of 2400 Pascals. It is also designed to achieve the most severe ratings set down in BS6375 Part 1 1983 for air and permeability and water tightness.

Tel: 01625 439666
Email: mailto:sales@katuk.co.uk
Web: http://www.katuk.co.uk


Trinity Friction Stays Triple the Benefits

Under the banner of its recently launched Trinity brand of window hardware - offering fabricators products that offer three key benefits: Quality, Value and Reliability - Mila has introduced a new range of friction stays for casement windows that characterise the core values of the new brand.

Trinity friction stays are available for both top hung applications, in sizes ranging from 8" to 24", and side hung applications in 12" and 16" sizes. Both are available in 13mm and 17mm stack heights to suit the vast majority of casement profiles. A 90¼ opening egress version is also included in the range for compliance with FENSA requirements and Building Regulations.

In keeping with the ethos of the brand, Trinity friction stays offer high quality at a competitive price. Manufactured from stainless steel, each friction stay includes a handed nylon end-cup for smooth operation and accurate location. Reliability is also assured, with the product rigorously tested for smooth operation and corrosion resistance.

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


New Products from Polycastle

Polycastle Nu-Span Limited of Lowestoft recently launched a range of new PVCu products, manufactured from Plastmo Profile.

New for 2004 is the introduction of a French Casement Egress Window and a Panic/Escape Door, complete with the latest multipoint Panic hardware lock combination, to ensure conformity with BS EN1125. The company says that, to date, the gearing featured on this product is the only multipoint lock to conform to this standard.

Polycastle Nu-Span also supplies Residential and French doors along with internally beaded casement and tilt and turn windows, all manufactured from the 62mm PLastmo System Index Suite. Also available are the Plastmo Slidex Inline Patio Door and the Polycastle Stable Door. All these products are available on a nationwide basis, direct to the trade.

Tel: 01502 508508


Getting Sorted with Sortimo

Sortimo International Ltd, European manufacturer of secure van racking equipment for light commercial vehicles, supplies a comprehensive range of in-vehicle storage systems.

While frails and racks are an accepted way of transporting glass and ladders effectively and safely, complete windows, doors, tools and other equipment are often left to rattle around in the back of the vehicle. The installers van is the hub of an installation. They will be in and out of their vehicle all day as it is the parts counter, the office and the workshop. By storing tools and equipment away safely and securely, efficiencies can be achieved in terms of time saved in selecting tools and components.

'Pan-European Sortimo lnternational Ltd is able to help clients complete the custom build of their mobile service vehicles, from their concept through to a turnkey complete vehicle. We are able to install our product rapidly, therefore saving the customer installation costs and vehicle down time. In order to be more supportive towards the Fleet Manager, Sortimo has sympathetically priced its packages for the multi user. CAD design facilities are available.' says the company.

• Sortimo has a range of pre-determined storage systems that the company has developed with vehicle manufacturers, and companies from all sectors and trades.
• Sortimo has the facilities to meet clients and design, using CAD, bespoke storage systems to fulfil their requirements.
• Sortimo stores 2 million pounds of stock so that orders can be produced and delivered in 2-3 days, the company's 48 hours Fastrack Despatch Service and seven day FastFit Service for up to 20 vehicles.
• TuV crash tested to ensure the highest levels of operator safety.
• Considerable weight saving, a service van equipped with Sortimo equipment can improve the storage efficiency of your van - up to 50%.
• With an organised service vehicle Engineers can save 26 mins per day, 2 hrs 16 mins per week...

For a catalogue on Sortimo's products call FREEPHONE: 0800 027 5644 or log on to http://www.sortimo.co.uk

Email: mailto:vanrack1@sortimo.co.uk


Titon Launches the New Suite of Omniglaze Vents

Titon has launched Omniglaze, a new suite of trickle vents, which offers versatility to specifiers and window fabricators. The range is available in a variety of configurations and is suitable for PVCu, timber or aluminium windows.

The Omniglaze range of glazed-in vents has been designed as a sister model to Titon's Maxiglaze vents. Each vent benefits from a slim sight size and is more compact than the Maxiglaze, but functions in a very similar way. The appearance of the Omniglaze remains the same regardless of which version has been specified. The vent is available in made-to-measure or bar length form to give fabricators greater flexibility.

Describing how Omniglaze will provide industry with a high-tech comprehensive range of vents, Tyson Anderson, Marketing Director of Titon, said:
'Omniglaze will give fabricators and specifiers a reliable solution at varying performance levels to their buildings' background ventilation needs.'

The Omniglaze range is available in versions from a basic format through to a high performance option. One of the key selling points to the range is that a 'storm flap' can be specified for the first time on a Titon glazed-in vent. In exposed situations where high winds/gusts could cause uncomfortable draughts, the high performance version has a secondary closure mechanism for enhanced weathertightness. This model also offers an easy clean facility as the vent can be opened further than the standard Omniglaze.

The Omniglaze range includes: Omniglaze, Omniglaze SF (with storm flap), Omniglaze HP (high performance), and Omniglaze HPS (high performance with storm flap).

Tel: 01206 713800
Web: http://www.titon.co.uk



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