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Dear Tony

With the recently published survey showing a considerable improvement in the public’s perception and satisfaction with double glazing companies in general, and a significantly lower level when having dealings with a national company isn’t it about time that those Companies and the so called Guardians of our industry the GGF and even the DCGOS took note.
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Dear Tony

Having just caught up with the most recent trade press, I felt compelled to write to you to express my frustration at the fact that I continue to see a number of companies blatantly plagiarising the products and ideas of other companies.
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Dear Tony

Chris Mayne of the BFRC (in his letter to Glazine 19th June) reminds us that several factors affect a spacer’s thermal performance. It is not just thermal conductivity. Crucially, performance needs to last. A spacer bar’s porosity – the degree to which it lets moisture in and gas out of the sealed unit – underpins thermal performance.
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This Week's News

Profile 22 and Swish become first systems houses to secure top ‘green’ accreditation

Profile 22 and Swish Window and Door Systems have become the first systems businesses to secure the green standard BES6001 across their foiled and standard PVC-U ranges.

The Epwin Group systems houses join a handful of building product companies to have secured the new standard meeting a range of strict criteria ensuring responsible sourcing of construction products.
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Epwin Latium merger referred to Competition Commission

The Office for Fair Trading has referred the merger of Latium Holdings and The Epwin Group to the Competition Commission for investigation amid concerns it could lead to price hikes. As previously reported in The Glazine, the businesses merged in January in a deal that created a £275m-turnover enterprise with 2,500 staff.

The OFT said in February it would look at the deal to see if it would result in a substantial lessening of competition in the roofing products sector. Now the OFT has decided to refer the deal for further investigation by the Commission.
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Vince Cable Launches Trustmark's New Smartphone App

A new smartphone app developed by TrustMark, the Government endorsed quality mark for glaziers and other tradesmen, was launched by Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, at a reception in Westminster last week attended by trade bodies and consumer protection groups.

The app will help glaziers and their customers to ask all the right questions and to have more confident conversations before agreeing work to be done in or around the home.  It was championed by Stephen Lloyd, MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon who also sees it as a valuable tool for Green Deal projects. 
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New Chairman for BFRC

GGF Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Technical Affairs, Giles Willson has been appointed Chairman of the British Fenestration Ratings Council (BFRC).

In 2005, the GGF Group acquired The British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) which is responsible for Window and Door Energy Ratings in the UK. BFRC rates the energy efficiency of windows and doors using the familiar ‘A’ to ‘G’ rainbow label, similar to those for electrical appliances. It allows homeowners to assess the energy efficiency of a product and compare competing product.
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Era Launches the Vectis Plus Family

With home security remaining high on the news agenda, door and window hardware specialist ERA has focused on its Vectis Plus family of products, which offers a wide range of benefits for the installer and homeowner alike.

The Vectis Plus cylinder free door system is described by the company as being the ‘next generation’ in multi point locking products.  Meeting the requirements of PAS 23/24 and Secured by Design, the patented Vectis Plus features ERA’s tried and tested lever technology and is the first to arrive on the UK market with hardened plates to provide enhanced protection against attack.
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31 years and still going strong

When Rehau launched its 50th anniversary competition to find the oldest working installation of Rehau windows or doors earlier this year, it was confident that it would find an installation which was at least 25 years old, in line with the date when its Blaenau factory first began extruding profile in the UK.

However, the response to the competition surprised even Rehau with many entries much older than that and several coming from the early 1980s when REHAU in the UK was still importing profile from Germany.
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Traditional lock, new technology

For decades the traditional rim lock has locked the door instantly and been made safer with an extra locking point. But now it has evolved. It still provides that traditional convenience and additional security but the key has been replaced – so you can’t leave it inside – and it’s opened with a touchscreen PIN number.
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Promac plays a part in 3 peaks challenge for charity

When Safestyle UK were looking for volunteers to take part in the three peaks challenge to raise money for charity, Promac Group Technical Support Manager Darren Wade was quick to sign up to the challenge. Keen to show his support for the four worthy causes, Darren explains:” When I heard that some of the guys from Safestyle were planning this event, I was keen to get involved. Not only because I wanted to be part of the fundraising, but also because you need to be reasonably fit in order to tackle the three peaks and I was up for the challenge. It involves walking each of the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales and the travel between each, all done within 24 hours.
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Synseal's Manning Mobs TV Man Mark

Synseal Extrusions’ ever-enthusiastic New Build Business Development Manager Bruce Manning was caught up in television coverage of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in The Mall when he encountered reporter Mark Austin while he was mixing with the crowds.

Bruce was with boys and girls from the 25th Bromley Scout Group of which he is the Leader, having been a keen Scout Leader for more than 20 years.
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Listers and Roto teaching old dogs new tricks

Once bitten, twice shy. A leopard never changes its spots. A rolling stone gathers no moss. Plenty of proverbs hold some truth but there are a few that can be challenged. In the case of Lister Trade Frames that proverb was, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”.

Lister Trade Frames hailing from Stoke on Trent had been investigating a roof window supplier that ticked all the boxes for their installers. They felt that that there was an opportunity to look at new and innovative products that presented better opportunities and a greater scope for their customers.
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Get Britain Building Fund to Deliver More Homes

The Government’s decision to extend its ‘Get Britain Building’ fund is a welcome boost to help deliver home homes and jobs in the construction industry says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The Government has announced it is inviting bids for additional Get Britain Building funding for building sites in which upwards of 15 homes are being built.
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