One door closes…

No one needs to be told of the dramatic rise of the composite door to the detriment of its PVC-U panel forerunner, so this week’s strategic move by Phoenix is, on the face of it, good news for all concerned. For the company itself, it has grown with the panel door in its heyday and has now had the courage to cut the umbilical and embrace the next generation. It’s clearly good news for Hurst, nominated as heir to its panel customer base, but it must also be welcome to all others still in panels because while the market is shrinking, there will always be a market, so the exit of one player will add some welcome equilibrium for the rest. Read Story

Elsewhere, the extended family of Conservatory Outlet is growing again, in volume if not in name, as Andrew Glover’s West Yorkshire Windows business is growing by acquisition in the East Midlands. Read Story

And the issue of the too-slim spacer bar continues with another spirited response from Colin Torley, including a suggestion for the manufacturers. As ever, all further contributions are welcome; we wait with interest. Read Letter

Until then, we hope you enjoy this week’s issue.

Chris Church Editor

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

This Week's News

Phoenix pulls out of door panels – ‘comp doors are the future’

Phoenix Doors is to cease production of PVC-U door panels next month in the light of ‘challenging’ sales that have seen production drop from 1,500 panels a week to 800 or less in recent times.

The company is now focussing its efforts and production capacity at its 50,000sqft Huntingdon site on GRP composite doors, including its Meridian and newly launched Sovereign range, and has directly recommended all its panel customers to Hurst Plastics.

Sales Director Haydon Statham (pictured) said in a statement today: “Losing panel manufacture will free up the space, time and manpower in our bigger factory to concentrate on rising demand for our composite doors, which we introduced in 2008.

Read More Here...

Glover’s West Yorkshire buys Trent Valley

Andrew Glover’s West Yorkshire Windows, one of the biggest Conservatory Outlet customers, today announced the acquisition of the retail business of Trent Valley Home Improvements Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

West Yorkshire recently bought two showrooms in Nottingham and Chesterfield, trading under the Conservatory Outlet banner. Trent Valley has units in Nottingham and Derby. The company will now merge the two neighbouring units and run all three remaining with the Trent Valley brand. Trent Valley’s architectural operation will remain under the existing ownership as Trent Valley Architectural Limited.

Andrew Glover said : “The ‘Trent Valley Windows & Door Co’ brand has been successfully trading in the Nottingham area for over 25 years. With an excellent reputation and strong customer base, we found a lot of synergies between the businesses, making it an extremely viable means of growing our business into the Midlands.

Read More Here...

Boing Boing
bounces into ali

CentralRPL, the PVC-U fabricator purchased by Gary Morton’s Boing Boing Group two years ago, has announced the formation of CentralASL as a sister company fabricating aluminium.

Gary Morton explained: “Aluminium was one of the main products we wanted to be able to supply our customers directly.  Our strategy is all about finding products and services for our customers, rather than customers for our products and services. It is vital that we ensure our customers who want aluminium can access the same expertise and service they rely on from the PVC-U team at CentralRPL.

Read More Here...

Pre-anodising to be examined for ali coating

The Qualicoat organisation has set up a working group to look into pre-anodisation as an alternative preparation for aluminium powder-coating in the light of the imminent ban on the use of chromium in pre-treatment.

More than half of the Qualicoat licensed plants are now chrome free, says the organisation, while others are getting ready for the switch.

Pre-anodising, sometimes called flash-anodising, has been used for a number of years on the continent for the ‘Seaside Class’ of powder coating under the Qualicoat Standard, but the organisation says the benefits could be extended to regular projects where a more robust finish is required, specifically where cut edges are going to be exposed.

Read More Here...

We Have Email

From: Colin Torley,
Sales and Operations Director,
Saveheat Group

In response to the statement issued by Steve Rice, GGF Director of Technical Affairs.

It is good that the GGF have come out and responded to my letter regarding the use of low sightline IGU’s that basically do not comply with the Construction Product Regulations (CPR) and therefore make it illegal to manufacture and sell these units.

For me the opening statement just about says it all. “The GGF has addressed the issue from a technical and GGF policy perspective” so that’s it then? We have addressed it so it can go back in its box. I hope that isn’t the case and that this is only the start of their drive to stop this practice happening.

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