INTERVIEW WITH ANDY JONES

Andy Jones, SILKA’s Sales & Marketing Director for England and Wales, sits down with our Editor Chris Champion to discuss SILKA and its revolutionary glazing products.

One of the main USPs of SILKA is that each and every product in the range is superinsulated. All of our products deliver on security and style, but we made sure that our windows, doors and rooflight systems exceed the latest requirements for energy efficiency too. We have drawn on our 30+ years’ experience in polyurethane thermal insulation that is used in our awardwinning Apeer Doors and Lumi Windows products. This has helped us create products which deliver the highest levels of thermal performance.

SILKA aluminium products are fitted with energy efficient triple glazing as standard. It is all manufactured in our state-of-the-art glass factory that boasts two toughening plants, amongst a plethora of advanced manufacturing machinery. However, the step change is pairing this with our ground-breaking Thermafill® technology, creating a super-insulated window or door that delivers ultra-low U-values, as well as stunning looks. We’re backed by the stats too: our Aluminium Windows achieve U-values down to an industry leading 0.8 W/m²K, our Lift & Slide Doors deliver U-values as low as 1.26 W/m²K, while our Bifold Doors offer U-values at an impressive 0.7 W/m²K - all without compromising sightlines.

We believe another one of our USPs lies in our ability to manufacture both triple glazing and aluminium frames at the same site. We have years of experience with our LUMI products of making and handling and delivering large triple glazed units and have the logistical expertise in supplying direct, which takes away the hassle for our customers.

The Lift & Slide Doors boast large spans in both height and widths. Does that make them class leading and just how big can you go?

Yes, for standard products our Lift & Slide Doors are pretty much in a league of their own. Because we make the glass units, installers can offer bigger doors as standard. We call the SILKA Lift & Slide Door floorto-ceiling because the opening can go up to 2.7 metres tall. We should probably call them wall-to-wall too, as a four-door configuration can go up to 10 metres wide!

The SILKA Bifold Door claims to have excellent U-values. Is this mainly through the Thermafill® technology or the standard triple glazing?

It’s both. The combination of both Thermafill® and triple glazing has helped us create a full suite of products for the home, including our Bifold Door, that exceed the demands right now, and makes us ready for the stringent Future Home Standards we all know are coming in 2025.

You have registered Thermafill® – can you describe how this technology works?

At SILKA, our purpose was always to create a range of revolutionary products that exceeds current and future Government Regulations, and Thermafill® helps us do that.

Our trademarked Thermafill® technology offers edge-to-edge insulation to the entire SILKA product range. The thermal barrier system utilises extra-wide insulated chambers, coupled with a high stability thermal break, featuring a unique I-Beam Reinforcement. This creates a resilient barrier that enhances and maximises thermal efficiency and also improves acoustic performance.

With 44mm warm edge triple glazed units as standard across the range, this revolutionary combination of Thermafill® and triple glazing helps deliver a topperforming range of window, door and rooflight systems.

The Thermafill® system also includes “bafflers” around the glass edge, and around the opening sash, which acts as a thermal barrier and acoustic dampener, creating a futureproof thermal efficient system.

All your SILKA windows are triple glazed, but can you talk us through the different window types that you can offer within the range?

We offer a number of different window designs in the SILKA range, including the Slimline Aluminium Window; Picture Windows; Dummy sash Aluminium Bay; Tilt & Turn; and Aluminium 72mm Windows. The wide range delivers ultimate versatility to installers, meaning we can provide them with the window options they need for pretty much any project.

Everything looks ultra-modern in the SILKA range so can it be adapted to heritage styles and replacement as opposed to just new build?

You’re talking about legacy design. Many homeowners with an older property want to change their windows to create a midcentury style, with the crisp lines of a slim sash window. SILKA Slimline Aluminium Windows achieve this with a stylish lowprofile design. Plus, with the SILKtouch finish, they look amazing in a 1930s house and our colour options give lots of scope for homeowners to add their personal touch.

Can SILKA be used for bay or bow windows?

We designed the SILKA Aluminium Bay Window with a neat dummy sash feature that offers the perfect balance, with opening sashes for both square and angled bay window styles. These styles include fixed panes as the main window, with openers to the sides or a multi-pane bay window to suit the desired design aesthetic – bringing a legacy style to reinvent this classic feature. Bay and bow windows may be one of the most iconic architectural features of UK homes, and with our Aluminium Bay Windows, it’s easy to retain this traditional style whilst futureproofing thermal performance.

I see you have a range of Entrance Doors as well as Bifold Doors, French doors and Lift & Slide Doors. Are these solid doors or are they all triple glazed glass?

Of course! As the team behind Apeer Doors, we developed the first warm-edge triple glazed door and first A++ door. SILKA Entrance Doors feature Thermafill® aluminium frames and a unique 70mm Thermafill® core door sash. The 15 door styles are designed to impress. The SILKtouch textured surface, triple glazing and unique styles set the SILKA Entrance Door range apart from any other. The door sash construction features a high stability frame system to protect against flex and twisting, and the doors are PAS 24 accredited.

Colour is important in today’s market so what is SILKA offering when it comes to colour?

Our exclusive SILKtouch finish is available in True Black, Anthracite Grey and a colour palette of contemporary and trending colours all with an option of White internally. We’re also happy to match in any RAL colour for customers to achieve their desired aesthetic.

What are the lead times for your products, and do you supply in mainland UK as well as Northern Ireland?

For our standard products, lead times are 6 weeks. We already have an established delivery service across the whole of the UK and installation companies can buy products now.

You talk about security as being important – is that linked to the triple glazing or are you using high end locks, hinges etc?

While the 44mm triple glazing does enhance the security of our windows and doors, we make sure there’s no compromise on security features. The products are fitted with high-security multi-point locking systems and additional security measures, such as dog bolts and security gearing. For example, our Aluminium Bifold Door benefits from having a Winkhaus 3-point locking mechanism fitted, which offers a unique slam lock feature, ensuring that the door is always fully locked. The window and door range of products are also PAS24 certified.

I have to ask: I remember running my finger over the finished aluminium and it really did feel silky – is that where the name has come from or is there something technical I’m missing?

Yes, our exclusive SILKtouch sputter coat technology is exactly what the name suggests. Our lightly textured coating is designed to give the products a ‘smooth as SILKA’ feel. On a practical level, SILKtouch is a tough surface that stays cleaner for longer.