This Week's News
GGF Urges Chancellor “Boost Our Industry”
Ahead of next month’s Budget, the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has written to the Chancellor, George Osborne MP to outline GGF Members’ concerns on several issues that are affecting the Glass and Glazing industry.
In his letter to the Chancellor, Nigel Rees, GGF Group Chief Executive, referenced the importance of energy efficient windows for homeowners and growth in both local and national economies. The GGF highlighted how the 20% rate of VAT has created an uneven and unfair playing field that energy efficient installation companies and homeowners face when installing energy efficient glazing.
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RISC Authority Guidance In The Fight Against Lock-Snapping
Avocet Hardware has welcomed the RISCAuthority’s decision to incorporate an explanation of lock-snapping and the importance of TS007 and SS312 in the fight against it in its latest “Guidance to Occupiers”.
Avocet, which manufactures ABS snap-secure locks, has long campaigned for the insurance industry to play an active role in helping to curtail the rise in lock-snapping and is delighted with what it describes as a major step forward.
“Lock-snapping is a significant issue across large swathes of the country and what makes it so frustrating is that it’s easily preventable,” said Rythm Jain Saigal – CEO of Avocet. “All we need in order to stamp it out is for insurance companies to add TS007 3-star BSI Kitemark or SS312 Diamond accredited locks to their list of Minimum Security Standard products – and maybe take the customer friendly step of compensating those who have to upgrade by offering a reduced premium.”
“But to date they have maintained the preposterous stance of insisting on like-for-like replacements for snapped locks, meaning homeowners are doing nothing to prevent a repeat attack.”
“We are extremely hopeful that the RISCAuthority’s publication is the first sign of a change in attitude – one that will benefit not just the British public, but the insurers themselves as a result of the significant decrease in break-ins such a measure would deliver.”
Avocet uses Leeds as an example of the impact TS007 3-star and SS312 Diamond accredited locks can have on crime figures.
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Commercial Office Projects Increase By A Quarter
A surge in office construction is helping to drive growth in the construction sector, according to figures released last week.
January 2015 saw a 26 per cent increase in the value of office construction projects awarded in the UK compared to the same time last year, accounting for almost three quarters (74 per cent) of the total value of all contracts awarded within the commercial and retail sector last month.
The award of major project contracts such as the £100 million development of Atlantic Square in Glasgow and the £90 million 70 St Mary’s Axe scheme in London, were key contributors to the surge in activity.
The latest figures from Barbour ABI, also revealed the total value of commercial and retail contracts awarded in January was £823m – a 22.7 per cent increase on January 2014.
Commenting on the findings from the latest Economic Construction Market Review, Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said: “The development of new office space has really gathered pace over the past 12 months and January’s figures now show this dominance.
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1,000,000 units milestone
The automated Edgetech Super Spacer line has gone through the milestone of 1,000,000 units at Lancashire based Padiham Glass, manufacturers of high performance insulating glass units. Starting with a manual Super Spacer line, the fully automated Forel line was installed as part of the £2million expansion in 2007.
Managing Director for Edgetech UK, a Quanex Company, Andy Jones congratulated the team at Padiham Glass: “As one of the first companies to offer Super Spacer, this is a great achievement.”
The significant occasion may have been missed if it wasn’t for an eagle-eyed analyst. During an audit he told Wes Clarkson, Padiham Glass’ Sales Director, the million was close. Wes said: “We were on the lookout to see what customer order would be on the Super Spacer line as we went through the one million mark. It’s really appropriate that it was one of our longest-standing customers Darwen Windows.”
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Everglade’s facility sets a new standard in production
2014 was a record year for Everglade. So good that in January it opened a second factory close to Everglade’s HQ in West London. The new factory features a Satellite XT cutting and machining centre, and new bead saws. “But we believe it’s the investment in IT infrastructure that makes the combination of the two factories the most flexible and responsive manufacturing facility in the UK,” says Everglade’s Operations Director Yogesh Gopal.
“What it means for customers is that we can make whatever they order quickly. We offer customers a greater choice with our range of windows and doors in both PVCu and aluminium. There are always spikes in volumes of one product or another and now we have complete flexibility to move production to give us outstanding levels of dependability.”
Everglade has achieved this through investment in new software for production tracking and scheduling, management software for stockholding and an extension of the successful barcoding system first introduced in 2013. Real-time production information can be seen through easy to read dashboards.
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Call for “Meaningful” Incentives And Review Of Energy Efficiency Schemes
The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has called for a review and overhaul of the Government’s energy efficient schemes following the latest Green Deal and ECO (Energy Company Obligation) statistics which show only 64 windows have been installed (under Green Deal) since the scheme started in 2013.
On the 19th February, the latest Green Deal and ECO statistics up to the end of January 2014 were released. The figures show slight increase on the previous statistics released in January after lower than expected figures in the December-November release. The scheme still has not taken off as quickly as originally promised by former Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Minister Greg Barker, and only just this last week, the Green Deal finally passed its 10,000 plan milestone with over 10,000 UK households having either completed energy efficiency upgrades under the Green Deal financing scheme or in the process of doing so.
The key points of note from the latest statistics include:
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Curtain Walling For The Refurbishment Of Royal Mail’s Flagship Mail Centre In London
Façade systems from architectural aluminium specialist, Technal, have been specified by Boyes Rees Architects as part of the major refurbishment of Royal Mail’s flagship Mount Pleasant Mail Centre in London – one of the world’s largest mail sorting offices.
The project involved the refurbishment of the ‘Letter Office Building’ located at the boundary of the London Boroughs of Islington and Camden. The building, which dates back to the 1930s, was in need of extensive façade repairs and upgrading works to improve energy efficiency and to create a distinctive façade which would sustain and enhance this historic landmark.
Originally built on the site of Coldbath Fields Prison, Mount Pleasant is now Royal Mail’s busiest central London sorting office, which sorts and despatches over 1m items of mail across the city every day. The facility is part of a site which covers an area of 12 acres and is the centre of a network of 23 miles of tunnels, 70 feet under the streets of London, that were once used to distribute mail.
During the refurbishment, the sorting office had to remain fully operational 24 hours a day.
The building was stripped back to its original concrete walls; white monolithic render was renewed, and upvc windows were replaced with high performance aluminium curtain walling from Technal.
Technal worked closely with Boyes Rees Architects and specialist fabricator Glassolutions Installation to develop and implement the specification for the curtain walling. The slim profiles of the GEODE-MX Visible Grid system met the architects’ requirements for maximising natural light and retaining the building’s character.
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Business of the Year Finals for Listers
Lister Trade Frames of Stoke on Trent have just been nominated finalists in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Sentinel Business Awards as contenders for “Business of the Year” 2015. Having won numerous national industry awards over the last ten years, Listers consider this recent local recognition as a great honour.
Mark Warren, Listers MD remarked, "We've operated in Stoke since the mid-seventies and have built up the business from very humble beginnings. Having been recognised for this top award by a panel of leading business judges, is a great tribute to all the hard work that we have put in over the last year."
As the area’s leading manufacturer of Aluminium, PVCu and Composite glazing products, Listers currently employ 116 people and generated a £10.75M turnover in 2014. With an enviable reputation within the industry, Listers have never lost sight of their roots and maintain a close relationship with the local community.
"Our workforce are predominantly from Stoke and we have an excellent relationship with a local training firm who provide us with a stream of willing Apprentices," said Mark. "We've also established great relationships with local suppliers, businesses and charities. Stoke is our home and we try wherever we can to give back to the city that has helped us grow."
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£15.5 billion of stalled construction schemes revived during 2014
Figures released today (24 January) by construction industry analysts Glenigan reveal £15.5 billion of stalled schemes came off the shelf during 2014 – up 17% on the previous year.
For the second consecutive year, the value of projects coming back into development exceeded those put on hold, which totalled £11.8 billion.
The value of stalled projects decreased by 2% last year, sustaining the 78% drop recorded in 2013 - a period when confidence rebounded rapidly.
A spokesman said: “Overall the figures reflect the relatively stable conditions of 2014 as it was the availability of skills and materials, rather than work, which rose in prominence as a concern during the year.
“Nevertheless, the overhang of stalled construction projects which had built up during the downturn continues to edge down.”
He added: “Some of these schemes will need to re-submit planning applications and some will be reconfigured by developers in response to changes in demand, such as substituting leisure space for private sale apartments.
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