This Week's News

Mila Gives Away Free Time With Every New Prosecure Hinge

Mila has launched the new ProSecure door hinge which it claims is faster to fit than any other security door hinge on the market. The only hinge supplied in one piece ready to install straight from the box, Mila confidently predicts that most fabricators will be able to fit the new ProSecure in less than a minute.

As a result, Mila is giving away ‘free time’ with every ProSecure hinge it sells, which it says fabricators can use to make more doors, improve their efficiency or simply finish early for the day!

Mila has even launched a social media campaign using the hashtag #freetime inviting production teams who start using the new hinge to show off just what they are doing with all the free time it gives them.

Like the rest of Mila’s premium ProSecure range, the new hinge incorporates several innovative new design features. For example, it uses newly developed ‘Glider’ technology which allows the whole hinge to slide straight onto the frame in one complete piece.

In fact, there are only four steps to installation, which Mila has proved under test conditions can be completed in just 58 seconds.

The hinge is virtually jigless so minimal preparation is required – just two holes need to be pre-drilled on the frame. The fabricator then slides the whole hinge into position, pivots open the clever captive hinge lid and screws the concealed fixing datum directly to the sash.

For doors being fitted into low reveals, the ProSecure can also be front fitted just as quickly, simply by removing the steel hinge pin.

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West Midlands Commercial Property Offer Set To Boom

It is set to be a landmark year for commercial property in the West Midlands according to findings from Barbour ABI.

The region currently holds the greatest number of pending projects outside of London for 2015 with over 600,000 sqm2 in the pipeline.

While historically, Yorkshire and the North West have shown greatest regional promise beyond the Capital, the West Midlands now has the same share of national works as the two combined (11 per cent), with developments such as One and Two Chamberlain Square worth £500 million and the £200 million Beorma Quarter Masterplan.

Although London continues to dominate the UK commercial property market, high costs and low volumes of available space have caused would-be investors to look elsewhere.

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Trade bodies to get late payment court powers

The Government has set out proposals that will allow subcontractor trade bodies to challenge unfair main contractor payment terms in court.

New proposals to give business groups further powers to challenge unfair payment terms and practices on behalf of their members were published for consultation this week.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Large companies using their economic might to impose unreasonable terms on their suppliers causes real problems for small businesses.

“It is a significant issue and there is agreement that we need to keep the pressure up to bring about real change.
“This is about making the UK a fairer and more trusted place to do business.”

The Government said that it hoped the new powers would encourage trade contractor bodies in the first instance to challenge a firm’s payment terms and ask for them to be improved.

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Record month at Ultraframe – more consumer leads in January than ever before

January 2015 has seen Ultraframe generate a record number of consumer leads compared with any other month in the market leaders 30-year history. Despite what is usually a quieter trading month for most of the conservatory roof industry, Ultraframe has bucked the trend following the delivery of a high-impact and focused consumer campaign to underpin the launch of its replacement roof system – LivinROOF.

Steve McIntyre, Ultraframe marketing director comments on this significant achievement: “January’s figures demonstrate the huge consumer appetite for our roof systems. We’ve invested carefully in delivering campaigns that get right to the heart of the active home improver – a group of discerning home owners that are switched on to the latest home improvement technologies and trends. These results really underpin our ongoing commitment to consumer research – there’s no wastage at Ultraframe - everything we develop is completely in tune with today’s homeowners’ needs.

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Only a few tables remaining for the GM Fundraising Spring Ball!

Tables are selling out fast for the 2015 GM Fundraising Spring Ball being held at the Holiday Inn in Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 18th April. Traditionally a sell-out, tables have been snapped up faster than ever this year and Gary Morton, Founder of GM Fundraising doesn’t want anyone to miss out. “For those of you who have attended a GM Fundraising event before, one thing you know for certain is, you will have a great time. Coinciding with our 20th anniversary this year, this will be the 16th Gala Dinner the team has put together and we plan to make it bigger and better than ever”.

“Situated on the banks of the River Avon, set within beautiful landscaped gardens, the hotel sets the ideal backdrop for this ‘Guys and Dolls’ themed event. For GM Fundraising, it’s all about having fun whilst raising much needed funds for charity and the Spring Ball will be another fantastic opportunity to do just that. All proceeds raised from ticket sales and on the evening itself go directly to support the efforts of Hope House Children’s Hospices, who provide vital care and support to children and with life limiting illnesses.”

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Farewell To Alan Barnard

The GGF said farewell to Alan Barnard, Conciliation Manager who decided to retire at the end of January after 26 years of loyal service.

During his tenure, Alan proved a vital part of the GGF, not only resolving thousands of disputes between homeowners and GGF Members but also as a secretary for several technical groups. Also within his role, Alan co-ordinated the GGF’s technical consultancy and expert witness service.

On leaving the Federation Alan commented, “It’s been both a pleasure and a privilege to have worked with an organisation such as the GGF. It has at times been challenging but also rewarding. I will look back fondly at my time with the Federation.”

Nigel Rees, GGF Group Chief Executive added, “For more than two decades Alan has seen more than anyone how we have evolved from a relatively small trade organisation to the main Federation in our industry with multiple subsidiary companies. Over the years, Alan has been a huge asset and as Conciliation Manager has held one of the most important roles within the GGF. It’s hard to believe but in the last ten years only a few out of over a thousand disputes between GGF Members and a homeowners have gone to arbitration. Alan’s record in resolving disputes is one which will be very hard to follow. From his technical expertise to his sharp dry wit, Alan will be missed but we wish him all the very best for his retirement”.

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Support for members throughout changes in consumer finance regulations

Network VEKA has proactively addressed changes in the regulation of consumer finance, helping its member companies to continue winning the larger contracts typically associated with such funding.

Consumer finance is regulated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), formerly the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Since the FCA assumed responsibility for consumer finance in April 2014, the regulatory regime for companies wanting to promote consumer finance has become more challenging - the process involved in applying for consumer credit licences being a case in point.

Network VEKA's Managing Director, John Ogilvie explains: “The FCA's regulatory changes make greater demands of companies that wish to offer consumer finance - so much so that many businesses have been dissuaded from doing so.

“Knowing that the ability to offer consumer finance often allows companies to command orders of greater value – homeowners opting to re-glaze their whole house rather than, say, just the front or back, for example – we recognised the need to put mechanisms in place that would preclude our members from missing those opportunities.”

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UKGBC appoints new chief executive

Jones Lang LaSalle sustainability boss and Building columnist Julie Hirigoyen has been appointed as the chief executive of the UK Green Building Council.

Hirigoyen, who is head of sustainability at JLL, replaces longstanding UKGBC chief executive Paul King, who is leaving to join contractor Lend Lease.

Paul King will leave at the end of January and policy director John Alker will assume the role of interim chief executive until Hirigoyen takes up the post in April.

Hirigoyen was managing director and founding partner of Upstream, a leading sustainability strategy consultancy which was acquired by JLL in 2007.

After having led the Upstream team through its integration into JLL, she was promoted to international director in 2010 and joined the UK Executive in 2011. She then became JLL’s UK head of sustainability in 2013.

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Women to fill quarter of construction jobs by 2020

Women could fill quarter of construction jobs by end of the decade

Women are expected to fill a quarter of all construction jobs in the UK by 2020, according to new research.

Research by recruitment firm Ranstad CPE has found that since 2010 the number of women in construction jobs has risen by 4%, from 16% to just over 20%, compared to a 1% rise over the preceding five year period.

Randstad projects the proportion of women working in construction will rise to 26% by 2020, and that this proportion could well be higher “given the right cultural change”.
The recruiter says that as of today, the proportion of construction jobs held by women is 20%, or one in five.
This tallies with official data from the Office for National Statistics, which puts the proportion at 19.7% as of September 2014.

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Advert launches on major home improvement channel

Ultraframe, known for its award-winning marketing as much as its roof systems has launched a high-impact TV advert directly targeting viewers seeking home improvement inspiration. The LivinROOF advert will air on the most popular TV channels aimed at the home improvement viewer – Home, ITV4 plus the ‘hour on’ channels – Home+1 and ITV4+1.

Throughout February, viewers will have several opportunities a day to see the LivinROOF advert which sits amongst popular shows such as DIY SOS, Escape to the Country and Make My Home Bigger. Ultraframe marketing director Steve McIntyre continues: “we’ve been incredibly prescriptive about the campaign in terms of the target audience, there’s no better channels to choose than those dedicated to home improvement – it’s a perfect fit with our replacement roof message and we’re confident that our light-hearted, punchy advert will resonate well with this switched on audience seeking home improvement and indeed home extension inspiration.”

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