BUILT FIT TOGETHER –WELCOME BACK!

It’s just a year since the last instalment of FIT Show but organisers have been busy making sure that its May 2023, ten year anniversary, edition delivers above and beyond its 2022 event. With just a few short weeks until FIT Show returns, here’s why FIT Show event director Nickie West believe FIT Show 2023 is not to be missed for the whole industry.

Nickie comments: “There’s a reason FIT Show is the UK’s number one trade show for the windows, doors, glass, hardware and components industry, and that’s the continued support of our loyal community. With just a few weeks until we open for our tenth anniversary edition, I couldn’t be more excited about bringing the industry together to celebrate this landmark occasion. We built FIT Show together, and I want FIT Show this May to be a celebration of how far we’ve come as a show, and indeed industry, over the last decade.

“There are some really big and exciting changes that our visitors will see this May. If you think there won’t be anything new to see, you couldn’t be more wrong.

“Over 25% of the lineup is made of brands who have never exhibited before, and 40% are from overseas. These are brands and products that you will never have seen at FIT Show before. I’m excited that brands such as Apeer, Residence Collection, Sheerline (Garnalex), Supalite, Gerda Doors by Pioneer Trading, Saint-Gobain, Listers, Glazerite, Business Micros, Chekatrade, Emmegi, Deponti and Whitesales have all joined the lineup in the last couple of months.

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And here we are. We’re into May and, yes, it’s the FIT Show 2023. This is a show to be savoured with the next slated to be in two years’ time, in 2025. There are, of course, some noticeable absences from the exhibitor list but, equally, there are additions too. It is understandable that some have thought twice about investing in the FIT Show for two years running, bearing in mind the current economic conditions, but investment in marketing often pays dividends when others pull the purse strings tight. The fact is we have a show: a good selection of exhibitors and some new faces to boot and what is evident is a rash of these companies are from overseas. Many of these companies are new to me and I’m looking forward to finding out more about them. There will be new products to see, technological innovation to savour and three days of networking, great camaraderie, and deals to be done. The FIT Show is one to attend and enjoy and there is no doubt that there is much to be gained by turning up at the NEC for this great industry event. Let’s support our industry exhibition. This month I had the great pleasure of interviewing the GGF’s Head of Advocacy & Stakeholder Relations at the GGF, Chris Beedel, and you can watch and listen to him talking about the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO+) Scheme and the Heat and Buildings Strategy in this issue of Glass News and in our online edition.

This important strategy talks about saving energy and looks at the entire building envelope - but totally ignores glazing. What? You may well be as flabbergasted as I am! Mind you, this is not the first time that the glazing industry has been ignored by governments and it seems that they have in their minds that 86% of all domestic dwellings have double glazed windows – well, job done then, let’s move on to something else! However, what has completely escaped their notice is the fact that the vast proportion of those double glazed windows would not pass current building regulations and actually need renewing with the current generation of windows that meet the 1.4 w/m2/k U value or, better still, anticipate the 1.2 w/m2/k requirement of the Building Regulations that will come in in 2025.

The GGF has commissioned some research – well, very substantial research, that shows how vital glazing is in the government’s pursuit of energy saving and CO2 reduction. All credit to the GGF and the research they have commissioned makes fascinating reading. Just seeing where the UK is in the heat loss table shows how the coldest European countries’ housing stock performs so much better than our own! I definitely commend listening to Chris Beedel.

I can’t help feeling that I’ve missed out. We’re forever being told that the ‘baby boomers’ have been the most fortunate of generations, after all, Harold Macmillan quoted "Let us be frank about it: most of our people have never had it so good". That was in 1957 and it was in an effort to persuade the electorate that they were best off with the party in power. In fact, Macmillan nicked the phrase from the US Democratic Party who used the slogan ‘You’ve never had it so good’ in their 1952 election campaign. OK, we know things are not easy. The days of getting married in your early 20s, buying a house and raising a family, are long gone, as are jobs for life. However, the so-called Gen Z, those born after 1997, are apparently being wooed by hundreds of companies who are desperate to attract younger staff amid a post Covid recruitment crisis. The perk being offered is an official POETS Day. In my day we may have been guilty of leaving the odd meeting and failing to return to the office on a Friday afternoon, whereas it looks like Friday afternoons will become one of the busiest times in the pub with car parks full of white vans and company cars. Added to this, perks such as birthdays as a day off, and massages are being offered, so it looks like the work/life balance is getting stretched a bit. Nice for some, but what happens to all the rest of your staff while Gen Z are being pandered to?

If you are my Page 3 reader you’ll know I’ve been trying to find out the origin of the claim that UPVC can be recycled up to 10 times…a figure roundly used by many companies in our industry. I stumbled across a website that mentioned that the Watford based British Research Establishment (BRE) was the source, so I was straight on the ‘phone. It was eventually, answered, and I was asked to hold while they put me through to the Plastics Research section. As ever in this day and age, I wasn’t put through and was simply cut off. Two more tries and a less than interested receptionist said she’d get someone to call me back. Yeah right! No call or contact. Fairly typical of companies today but, maybe I’m being unfair: they’re probably all working from home or perhaps on strike. Hey ho!

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?

Email Chris at: chris@glassnews.co.uk

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“Brands are joining us from every corner of the globe making FIT Show 2023 a truly international showcase of the very best that the window, door, hardware, glass and components industry has to offer from countries including Canada, Turkey, China, France, Italy, Germany, America, India, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Denmark and the Netherlands.

“FIT Show 2023 visitors will be able to take advantage of the brand new Installer Hub which will include live product demos from brands including Whitesales, Strongdor, GGF, Made for Trade and Building our Skills. Installers will be able to receive training and support on how to install the latest products on the market, including rooflights, lantern roofs and steel doors, as well as watching demonstrations of the new pulse testing system for Part F compliance.

“Also new for FIT Show 2023 is the CPD Certified learning programme delivered in partnership with the GGF & FENSA. We have curated a programme of 30+ hours of seminars, all delivered by industry experts, tackling the big issues that we know our visitors will want to arm themselves with the knowledge and power to improve their businesses over the coming months.

“Our ten year celebrations will be in full swing on the second day of FIT Show (Wednesday 23rd May) as we stay open for our late night party. This will include the PiG’s Party with live music and an extra place for visitors to network after they have seen all of the latest products on the market.

“There has never been a more important time to plan a trip to FIT. For anyone who hasn’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? Head to www.fitshow.co.uk to register for your FREE ticket! I look forward to seeing you all at FIT Show 2023 this May!”