The bigger picture

While everyone has been concentrating on the ‘bigger picture’ of what Brexit will mean for the economy/trade/sterling/world peace or whatever, the GGF has got straight to the heart of the matter and reminded us that the real big picture for industries like ours will actually be the millions of little ones – the labyrinth of standards, markings, regulations and accreditations that underpin everything we do in the name of quality and consistency.

The document by the Federation’s top techie not only sets out many of those minutiae in precise detail, it also carries the subtext that much will be ‘as you were’ even after our extrication is complete but, either way, these are the things that will affect us all in the future. Read Story

Still on European matters, the Government is proving a little shy about saying whether the migrant workers who are such an integral part of every construction site will be allowed to go on working after we leave the EU. Read Story

And speaking of international borders, warmest congratulations to the saddle-sore stalwarts of the GM Fundraising B2B team on their triumphant ride from Canada to Mexico for the very best of good causes: well done to every one of them.
Read Story

Do enjoy this week’s issue.

Chris Church Editor

Please send all your news stories to news@the-glazine.com

This Week's News

Brexit and technical standards – what does it mean for the industry?

As the dust settles after the Brexit vote, everyone is asking how will it affect the industry, not only when trading with Europe becomes ‘export’ and ‘import’ but also in the all-important standards and regulations that exist within the home market.

GGF Technical Director Steve Rice has issued a statement explaining in detail the main facts about what will – and will not – change in industry standards and regulations as the UK prepares its exit from the EU.

Read More Here...

10,000 check out TS 007

Further proof of consumers’ growing awareness of security and high-integrity locks has come with the news that nearly 10,000 homeowners last year sought advice on the TS 007 lock standard on the Door & Hardware Federation website.

As well as growing numbers of locksmiths and other professionals visiting the site, the Federation says its consumer page is now the most visited on the entire website, a clear indication of the increasing priority people are putting on choice of lock specification.

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They’ve done it!

2,111 miles, 94,600 feet of climbing, 864,000 calories burned and over 4.5million turns of the pedal – the GM Fundraising Border2Border team have returned triumphant after yet another epic challenge cycling from Canada to Mexico and all agree it has lived up to the prediction of ‘The Toughest Yet’.

Gary Morton, founder of GM Fundraising and a rider in this year’s B2B challenge, gave us this report:

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Mark Hanson leaves Ultraframe for Kawneer

Mark Hanson has left Ultraframe after more than 20 years to join aluminium systems manufacturer Kawneer, particularly to help the predominantly commercial manufacturer to expand into the growing domestic aluminium market.

He joins as Marketing Manager but with the additional role of drawing on his retail experience to expand Kawneer into developing a range of products and services for the low-rise residential sector.

At Ultraframe, he was instrumental in growing, developing and promoting a range of aluminium-based conservatory and roof glazing products in the residential sector.

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Government has no guarantee for migrant workers

The Government has this week come under fire for refusing to guarantee that EU nationals working in the UK will be allowed to remain here after Brexit.

Junior Home Office Minister James Brokenshire, answering a tabled question from Labour MP Gisela Stuart, said it would be unwise for the government to guarantee anything without reciprocal assurances about the position of the 1.2 million UK nationals living elsewhere in the EU.

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We Have Email

From:
Roy Frost,
Managing Director,
Deceuninck UK

Voters’ decision to leave the EU in the Brexit referendum caught commentators and the political establishment by surprise.

We were warned about short term volatility in shares and exchange rates and we got them. A week after, the FTE 100 stock market had its best day for five years. The following day it fell back on news that the Bank of England may cut interest rates in August and restart quantitative easing.

Commentators who assumed the worst, marked down housebuilders shares. Steve Morgan chairman of Redrow whose shares dropped 30% as a result said: “sites remain busy, post Brexit, reservations continue to be taken. There is a long term underlying demand for new homes following decades of undersupply that leaves market fundamentals unchanged.” His remarks were picked up by some other housebuilders who echoed his comments in a return to reality.

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