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SHELFORCE TO STRENGTHEN TEAM TO MEET FIRE DOOR DEMAND
VISTA JOINS ASSOCIATION OF COMPOSITE DOOR MANUFACTURERS
Leading Birmingham window and door manufacturer Shelforce is creating 10 full-time jobs at its factory in Erdington.
Vista Panels Ltd has joined the Association of Composite Door Manufacturers (ACDM), and have welcomed the role in promoting industry standards and the need for composite doorset manufacturers to adhere to Building Regulations.
The recruitment drive is in response to the demand for the company’s fully compliant Fireshel 30-minure fire, smoke and security resistant door. Since launching the Fireshel in 2020, Shelforce has had to increase its manufacturing capacity from a standing start of 70 fire doors a week. Equans have placed an order for 4,300 Fireshel fire doors from now until the end of the year, while Fortem has ordered 2,000 – both for projects in Birmingham. Shelforce’s Business manager Howard Trotter said: “Demand for the Fireshel keeps increasing and we’re delighted to be able to help Equans and Fortem this year. “To meet their needs, we are going to have to produce 130 fire doors a week. While we have the capacity, we need to strengthen our team to do that which is why we are creating 10 full-time jobs in total.”
The ACDM operates under a constitution which requires all members to adhere to its Code of Good Practice, claim a recognised security performance – usually PAS24 – and hold independent third-party certification by a UKAS accredited certification body. Shelforce, which leads the way in inclusivity when it comes to training and employment opportunities in the glazing industry, with 75% of its workforce disabled, has worked closely with both Equans and Fortem over the years to help deliver several important refurbishment projects within Birmingham. Howard added: “Our commitment to supplying the highest quality products on time and to budget is the reason we have been able to form such long-lasting relationships with the likes of Equans and Fortem. “We want to continue delivering that service and, while 10 is a sizeable
number of new positions we need to fill, it’s a move we need to make we need to strengthen our team.” The Fireshel is the perfect solution for local authorities who need fully EN tested 3rd Party Accredited, replacement Fire Door sets that are compliant with the latest 2020 MHCLG Annex A recommendations. All Fireshel fire doors have been fire and smoke tested from both the inside and outside and PAS 024 Security tested. Shelforce specialises in providing high-quality PVCu and aluminium products to local authority building projects. To find out more, call Shelforce on 0121 603 5262 or visit www.shelforce.com.
Ian Smith, Vista’s Business Development and Marketing Manager, comments: “With changes to Approved Document Part L (conservation of fuel and power), and expected changes to Approved Document Part Q (security), it’s vital that everyone fabricating a composite doorset is making it to a required performance standard. “Installers and consumers should also be aware that external doorsets must be UKAS or CE marked (valid until 1st January 2023) in accordance with the Construction Products Regulations to demonstrate claimed U-value performance, while the company should be able to provide a copy of its PAS24 test report. “Given the government drive to improve the thermal performance of homes in the UK and the need to improve the protection of families in their homes, a U-value of 1.4W/ m2.K or under for replacement doorsets and the proposed changes to Document Q, composite doorset manufacturers should be able to demonstrate compliance, and not rely on cascaded information from another
manufacturer or supplier. This type of proof, which shows the manufacturer’s name on test reports as well as third-party certification, gives the end user certainty of performance and trust in the doorset. “It’s trade associations like the ACDM that can help to develop through BSI and promote these standards by having strict membership criteria that will in turn give installers and homeowners peace of mind that the doorset they are fitting is tested and fit for purpose. The new changes that have been introduced should put off companies from trying to make and market a composite doorset without properly investing in the required testing. “We’re excited to have partnered with the ACDM, an association that promotes the correct use of composite doorsets, and we look forward to working closely with them for years to come.”
EPWIN WINDOW SYSTEMS LAUNCHES NEW STELLAR SLIMLINE BIFOLD DOOR Epwin Window Systems has further expanded its aluminium system portfolio with the launch of its new Stellar Aluminium Slimline Bifold Door. By design, the Stellar Slimline Aluminium Bifold Door is 20% slimmer than the original Stellar Bifold and delivers superior slim sightlines at every level. At just 117mm wide, the slim meeting stiles create an attractive sightline in the closed position, letting the glass take centre stage for maximum customer appeal. As you would expect from a Stellar product, the intelligent design protocols and patented features are evident throughout the door. This includes patented pre-gasketed knock-in beads that make glazing the Stellar Slimline Bifold Door straightforward. And because the beads are pre-gasketed, they leave a neat, clean gasket line on the inside for exceptional aesthetics while preventing gasket overstretch, which can be common on aluminium bifold installations.
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Booth, Design Director (aluminium) at Epwin Window Systems, said: “The new Stellar Slimline Bifold delivers slim profiles and is packed with unique features to give our customers a competitive edge in the crowded aluminium bifold market. These unique features include the patent-pending adjustable slimline locking stile which is a real game-changer for installers allowing straightforward adjustment on site.” The new Stellar Slimline Bifold also benefits from tailed glazing gaskets and an underglass seal which breaks up the cavities behind and under the glass to enhance the thermal performance. And installation is further improved due to the unique patent-pending adjustable locking stile, so the clearance between the lock and keep can be adjusted to take up cutting tolerances, eliminating the need for adjustable door jambs. Commenting on the introduction of the new Stellar Slimline Bifold Door, Paul
Its future-proofed design delivers excellent thermal efficiency and its innovative polyamide thermal break technology delivers low thermal conductivity and ensures this highquality door is also highly insulating. It also exceeds the requirements of the 2022 Part L Building Regulations achieving a U-value of 1.3W/m²K with standard 28mm double glazing and 0.9W/m²K with 44mm triple glazing. The system is also PAS24:2016 accredited with a Secure by Design option too.
The new Stellar Slimline Bifold is available in a range of standard and non-standard RAL colours each with a 25-year surface paint finish. The new Stellar Slimline Aluminium Bifold is impressive and is already proving popular with early adopters of the system. Paul concludes: “The new Stellar Slimline Bifold has all the strength a bifold door needs and packs a punch in system design. Its slim sashes, expansive glazed area and contemporary aesthetics are next level. Add in its easy installation and swift fabrication and you have the best in aluminium bifold design. A door that was designed in Britain for British homes. It’s a powerful proposition.” The Stellar Slimline Aluminium Bifold Door is part of the multi-award-winning Stellar aluminium window and door system from Epwin Window Systems, the UK’s largest systems house. Tel: 0808 178 3370 www.epwinwindowsystems.co.uk
July 2022 | www.glassnews.co.uk
