Combi-Latch saves time and money
Mighton Products have launched a new Combi-Latch, which is designed to save fabricators of PVCu vertical sliding sashes, time and money. - The new Combi-Latch replaces the existing side catches from Mighton, it comes as a single kit, with the latch snapping into place and secured with just a single screw. The latch also integrates into the top channel of all PVCu vertical sliding sash window systems on the market. - The product is fitted to the top face of the upper sash and is used to facilitate the tilt mechanism in a PVC sliding sash window, which makes cleaning the window considerably easier. The contemporary designed latch is discreet, neat and is available in white or brown and comes as a pair.
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SWISSPACER is going too
SWISSPACER has booked its stand at the Fabricator Installer Trade (FIT) Show, which will take place between 16-18 April 2013. - The leading warm edge spacer bar supplier was keen to sign up for the FIT Show, which is tipped to be the big industry event of 2013. SWISSPACER has grown dramatically in recent years because its advanced warm edge spacer bars are one of the simplest and most cost effective ways to achieve top WERs and triple glazed windows. The FIT Show will be an opportunity for installers and fabricators to see its high performance spacer bars.
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Key Industry Issues Discussed at GGF Forum
The GGF Forum, held in Birmingham on Friday 20th April, proved a very useful and informative event that left GGF Members knowing the Federation’s position on many key industry issues including Green Deal, CE Marking, Consequential Improvements and Health and Safety. - The GGF’s appointed Strategic Consultant, Cath Hardaker (Head of Consultancy at PKF) also informed members of the conclusions of the GGF Strategy Review and the findings from its recent Members’ Survey. - Following the Forum, Nigel Rees GGF Chief Executive commented, “I’d like to thank all the GGF members who attended the Forum and contributed their thoughts and concerns as well as sharing their knowledge. At the Forum, we covered all the major topics that are affecting Members and those that are about to impact on our industry. The GGF will do its utmost to ensure Members are kept well informed on all fronts and given full support to cope with the many challenges ahead.”
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Six-chambered for Truframe
Midlands based trade fabricator Truframe has announced its whole range of Liniar windows and doors will be six-chambered as standard, making them one of the few fabricators in the UK to offer this level of frame performance. - The six-chambered frame will enable Truframe to manufacture energy rated windows without the need for costly thermal inserts and achieve an ‘A’ rated window using a lower-specification sealed unit – resulting in considerable cost savings for the installer. - National sales director Steve Lane comments: “The move to six chambers is very exciting development and offers numerous benefits to our customers. Not only does it improve the thermal efficiency of our frames, it saves the installer money on their complete window and enables them to price their products more competitively – a big advantage in today’s price sensitive market.”
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Haffner GB Ltd brings the new Murat fabrication machinery range to the UK
Haffner GB has been synonymous with quality fabrication machinery for many years. It has just enhanced that reputation by becoming the exclusive UK distributor for the Murat machinery range. To celebrate the launch, for a limited time only, Haffner is offering an impressive discount on the already competitively priced range of machines. And with machining centres starting from as little as £130,000 including a two year warranty and unlimited support, the interest in the new range has attracted considerable attention. - The Murat range is a complete suite of machinery from single headed welders to machining centres and Dave Thomas at Haffner is delighted to be offering it to his customers.
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PatioMaster unveils rapid delivery on non-standard foils
PatioMaster, the inline sliding door specialist, has unveiled its new rapid delivery non-standard foiling offer, the latest in a ‘triple’ of service and product innovations. - Available in as little as 10 calendar days it gives fabricators and installers access to a far more flexible colour offer supporting new sales opportunities across sectors. - It comes just weeks after PatioMaster became the first in-line sliding door manufacturer to offer a top Door Energy Rating ‘A’ rating and hot on the heels of the launch of its Secured by Design offering. - Rob McGlennon, divisional sales director at PatioMaster parent, Epwin Systems Division, said: “We’re able to deliver a much better and stronger foiling offer and that in turn has meant that we can be far more flexible in the service we provide.
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Qualicoat Technical Conference
Qualicoat UK & Ireland are holding their first technical conference in the UK on the 20th June at the National Metalforming Centre, West Bromwich. The conference is intended to showcase how the Qualicoat standard has evolved over the last few years into being a global standard which continues to expand across many countries. - Together with an introduction to Qualicoat, speakers will cover the three prime areas of powder coating, powder manufacture, metal pre-treatment and the finishing process itself. In each of these areas advancements have been made which has made powder coating the prime finish for architectural aluminium. The conference will detail each of these and offer specifiers of powder coating the information to specify the correct coating for the correct project and exposure.
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Sliders UK Feature Defender from Securistyle
Securistyle, the well established manufacturer of quality, innovative hardware for the window and door industries, is pleased to announce that the leading manufacturer in patio doors, bi-fold doors and vertical sliding sash windows, Sliders UK is now using the Defender Door Lock as one of its handpicked lock solutions. Ian Longbottom, Director at Sliders UK explains: “We have a small number of handpicked locks that we use for our doors and the Defender Door Lock is now one of them. The lock offers excellent technical specification and egress facility and is unique in the options it gives the homeowner looking for security as well as easy escape in the event of a fire. This is particularly important to us because safety and security have always been a key concern for our products. Our “Ultimate” range of in-line patio doors and bi-folding doors were the very first in the UK to be accredited by the UK Police security and crime prevention initiative, Secured by Design (SBD).”
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A Decade of Directorship at Listers
Lister Trade Frames have always been keen to recognise achievements within their company and Friday the 6th of April 2012 saw another milestone worth celebrating. 10 years previously, Phil Warren became a Director at the Stoke based manufacturer after working his way up through the ranks.
‘Starting on the shop floor and working your way up’ is a phrase that is often used to test ones resolve, to see whether the individual has what it takes. This was certainly the case with Phil Warren. It was April 1993 when Phil was first employed, in his own words, as “a cutter of straight cills... Extraordinaire!” “I really did start at ground level. Working by myself, I remember cutting metre lengths of gasket for 8 hours a day every day.” - It wasn’t long before the company recognised that Phil had what it took to progress and was duly promoted to Assistant Manager of their expanding trade counter. This naturally brought him into direct contact with customers and it was here that his true calling was realised.
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Sales up 15% at CDW Systems Ltd
In its celebratory 21st year in business, Gloucester based aluminium door and window fabricator CDW Systems has defied the challenging economic conditions by announcing that sales have increased by 15%, exceeding initial forecasts that the company had made for the year. - According to CDW Systems’ Managing Director Jerry Webb, demand for higher value niche products such as aluminium vertical sliders and bi-folding doors have contributed to the positive figures: - “The last twelve months have been excellent for CDW Systems. We have won some lucrative commercial contracts, and niche products such as the SAPA vertical sliding sash windows and the Beaufort and Smarts bi-folding doors are selling well in both the domestic and commercial sector. These high-performance products are competitively priced and offer striking features and benefits that have been well-received by installers.”
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Zoom Ready now quoting £200K a week
Enquiries for Zoom Ready are literally going through the roof, with the company processing £200,000 worth of quotes every week. - Martin Randall, Zoom Ready’s Chairman says this growth has come from a conservatory-experienced proactive sales force, and a strong marketing campaign to increase brand awareness. - Martin says, “We’re currently quoting £200,000 of roofs a week and there’s a real buzz at our offices as enquiries come in thick and fast. Our sales team are passionate about Zoom and have been busy showing installers just how great the roof is.
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Optimiser X - Less Waste, More Speed. Delivers Time and Time Again.
Every flat glass processor is burdened with glass waste. Although some feel it is an inevitable part of their industry and do not even know the true value of glass being thrown away every day! - Each factory is different. It is fair to say there is a bottom line of achievable waste levels for individual factories depending on the type of work, factory layout, equipment and volume of work (which is often seasonal). The trick is to find that bottom line and hold on to it for as long as possible. - Our Optimiser X customers have found it and are reaping the benefits every day, by achieving sustained low glass waste month on month. We recently carried out a study across sites that upgraded to Optimiser X over 12 months ago to see the impact over time. The results were outstanding. This was part of our continued appraisal of waste levels through our customer courtesy visit policy. Every customer gets free courtesy visits where our engineers review administration procedures with regards to the software, carryout analysis on waste levels and software/database maintenance.
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“It’s Easier with CENSolutions” says Klass Glass
CENSolutions, the leading consultancy and test facility for the window, door and glazing industries, has helped over 700 customers meet the relevant compulsory standards for their products. Paul Brunton, Managing Director of CENSolutions’ customers Klass Glass North West Ltd and Klass UPVC Ltd, explains why he made the move from an alternative test house to CENSolutions: “I was using an alternative certification provider to perform my audits and issue my certification for many years but it was a constant battle to chase invoices and for the work to be done. So when I met CENSolutions I jumped at the chance to switch and haven’t looked back since. CENSolutions looks after both of my companies and takes care of everything I need from regular audits and the writing of our factory production control manuals to all the product testing I require. Klass Glass and Klass UPVC are both quality companies and I pride myself on selling a good product, but keeping up to date with all the necessary standards can be difficult. I can’t tell you how much easier CENSolutions makes the whole process.
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Business Micros launches new remote assistant
Business Micros has added a new module for users of its Evolution and EvoNet software which frees up admin and sales staff from many of the repetitive daily tasks which are time consuming yet essential in the sales, production and delivery of window and door products. - The Remote Assistant module can be programmed to automatically perform a whole range of tasks ranging from emailing order acknowledgements to customers and generating purchase orders to sending text messages when an order is despatched. - It works by constantly monitoring jobs as they progress through the Evolution and EvoNet systems acquiring ‘statuses’ along the way. Users can select key statuses which will trigger Remote Assistant to perform a specific task from the Business Micros menu or they can choose a custom written module if preferred.
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Penalty? What penalty?
How one company actually REWARDS customers for paying by credit card
Ryanair started it. Now everyone is at it. Even the DVLA! Surcharging customers for the privilege of paying online using a credit card has become all too common… and all too unpopular! - However, in spite of all the sharks in the water, one company is bravely swimming against the tide. Far from slapping on a surcharge for payment online, Door-Stop International actually rewards its installer customers for using their credit cards - offering a £20 discount on every single door ordered through www.door -stop.co.uk. - “Customers should be rewarded for paying – not penalised!” explains Door Stop’s MD Nick Dutton.
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