Wake-up call

There cannot be many people left – either in the industry or even in society as a whole – who believe they will be unaffected by Brexit but Mila supply chain director Oliver Burgess fears some fabricators may be among them and he is warning them they could be facing delays and stock shortages if their suppliers haven’t woken up to the risk of disruption. And as if the issue for trading within the EU isn’t complicated enough, Oliver adds that Chinese New Year can have dire implications of its own for the hardware industry. Read Letter

Elsewhere, we hear of an alarm call of a different kind where Yale has had a little trouble with an app at the centre of a home security system, giving rise to a few unwelcome headlines for the company. Read Story

Back on the international scene, and we learn of further consolidation in the global rooflight industry with the proposed acquisition of Jet-Group by Velux as well as an internal restructuring by Roto, itself with a major stake in rooflight manufacture as well as its role in the world of hardware.
Read Story

So, after wishing a safe journey to all those on their way to Glasstec next week, we hope there is something for everyone in this week’s issue.

Chris Church Editor

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

This Week's News

Velux to acquire Jet-Group

Velux A/S has reached an agreement to acquire the Jet-Group from Dutch investment firm Egeria as part of a move to grow further in the non-residential rooflight market. The purchase is the second by the Velux Group this year, after US skylight manufacturer Wasco Products in April.

The Velux Group’s first step into the commercial market was in 2012 when it launched the Velux Modular Skylight (VMS) system. It says its strategy is to develop in this area through organic growth and acquisitions.

Read more

Roto brings repair
services together in
new group structure

Roto has announced a group restructure which sees the formation of a new Roto Frank Professional Service division joining the existing Window & Door Technology and Roof Windows & Solar divisions under a new, non-operational holding company overseeing three independent firms.

Read more

Steve Gardiner named
as Lister’s MD

GJB Group CEO Roy Frost this week announced the appointment of Steve Gardiner as the new Managing Director of Listers, the Stoke-on-Trent fabricator and trade counter that joined the group last year.

“Appointing a new MD is never easy and it was important to me, having got to know our customers, employees and the superb and unique culture that exists at Listers,” said Roy.

Read more

Yale enters Security
Month with embarrassing app crash

Yale has made an inauspicious mark on National Security Month after a glitch in its Smart Living Home security system left many customers complaining of being locked out of their homes.

Read more

We Have Email

From: Oliver Burgess,
Supply Chain Director, Mila

There are less than six months to go now until the UK officially leaves the EU at 11pm on 29th March 2019.

While we still don’t have any clear indication of what the Brexit outcome will actually look like, there’s no doubt any change to the status quo is likely to cause disruption to this industry’s supply chains, and could potentially affect every single one of us to a greater or lesser degree.

Read More