CONSERVATORIES

From Left to Right – Gareth Burgess, Ian Lewis and Matthew Davies.

Modplan Strengthens Sales Management Team

Trade fabricator Modplan has further strengthened its sales management team with the recruitment of two new business development managers, Gareth Burgess and Matthew Davies. The team, headed up by field sales manager Ian Lewis has over 75 years of combined industry experience, and the team is focused on supporting Modplan’s existing and potential new customers.

Ian comments: “We’re delighted to welcome Gareth and Matthew to the team as we further strengthen our sales support and customer development focus. The two new appointments reflect the high level of importance we attach to providing excellent customer support across all areas.”

Both Gareth and Matthew are no strangers to the industry, having previously worked for several high-profile businesses. Their level of industry experience and dedicated customer focus will be important to the Newport-based trade business as they continue with their growth strategy.

Dan’s The Man For Fabricated Sales At Kömmerling

Dan Wragg is the head of the specialist fabricated sales division at Kömmerling for their vertical sliding sash window and for the entire WarmCore range of hybrid window and door systems, all of which can now achieve a U-value of 1.3-1.4 W/(m2K) with a standard double-glazed unit.

With recent investment in the internal department and with a proven background in specialist products, Dan will be looking to support the current Kömmerling and profine customer base with specialist fabricated products. As part of a wider role, he will also look across the group at other technically-led windows and doors that require specialist manufacturing expertise and dedicated capital equipment.

Dan Wragg: “Given the specialist nature of these products from a manufacturing perspective, it’s too much for some companies to invest given the capital requirements and potential long payback period. It’s ultimately a finished goods proposition that we’re offering for our existing customer base, with the re-assurance of dealing with a PVCu and hybrid systems powerhouse under the Kömmerling name.”

He added: “We’ve got a seamless process from enquiry through to manufacture and delivery, with the promise of marketing support and much more. There’s been a clear demand for a Kömmerling sliding sash window for some time now, while the impressive credentials of WarmCore need no introduction.”

Robert Thiroff, managing director of profine UK and Kömmerling concluded: “This strategic investment in the fabricated sales division will support our customers with additional sales opportunities. The fact that we now have a vertical sliding sash window supports our claim as to having the broadest window and door systems product range of any PVCu business in the UK, which is good for us and our loyal network of Kömmerling partners.”

Window Ware Adds New Heritage Door Handle To Its Regal Hardware Range

The period style door handle is a very natural progression for the popular Regal Hardware brand, with its eye-catching monkey tail and pear drop casement window handles, matching stays and pegs, plus dummy and working butt hinges.

Homeowners who invest in new flush sash windows for their period properties often want matching French doors installed at the same time, so having a full complement of coordinated heritage hardware is really going to simplify sourcing and make life easier for fabricators, claims the company.

Window Ware’s product manager, Rob Vaughan, concurs, “We know from regular conversations with fabricators, especially those working with The Residence Collection flush sash systems, that there is a real need for a heritage door handle which suites perfectly with the rest of the Regal Hardware range. After months of careful research and meticulous product design, we think the Regal Hardware designers have nailed it with their exquisite new door handle offering!”

Just like the rest of the Regal Hardware range, this door handle comes in a choice of traditional monkey tail or pear drop designs and customers can take their pick from the full palette of 9 stunning finishes, including ever-popular black and on-trend rose gold.

“Fabricators will be able to tell the quality the moment they take these handles out of the box,” insists Rob. “The generous lever gives the handle a distinctly solid feel and, importantly, makes for a firm and super comfortable hold. No detail is overlooked and if you look closely and you’ll find the well-recognised ‘R’ seal of quality reassuringly stamped into the face of every back plate.”

The door handle has been rigorously tested to guarantee performance and long-lasting durability with a well-proven spring cassette that will resist lever droop, claims the company, and screw/spindle packs included as standard to suit 70-75mm thick profile systems commonly used for flush sash French or single doors. Longer 90mm screw and spindle packs are also available with pre-marked cut lines at 44mm and 62mm to accommodate a range of PVCu, composite and timber door thicknesses. To reduce stock holding for fabricators, the levers and back plates are supplied separately and can be assembled during door manufacturer to work for both left- and right-handed operation.

“These heritage handles are going to make a stylish statement on any door,” adds Rob. “We’re confident they’re going to be a big hit with homeowners looking for something a bit more special.”

Orion Proves Popular With Customers

Hardware specialist VBH (GB) has reported a continued increase in take up of its proteQ10 profile cylinder guarantee.

proteQ10 is a free guarantee offered with each greenteQ Orion TS007 3 star profile cylinder.

If the Orion cylinder is snapped in situ, allowing the door to be opened unlawfully, VBH will pay the resident £2000 direct in compensation, according to the terms of the guarantee.

Orion was launched early in 2021 and, says VBH, has proven to be very popular among manufacturers of all kinds of doors, from residential doors through to bi-folds and sliders.

VBH advise that the guarantee is also proving to be a hit with consumers as the numbers of cylinders registered under the scheme in the combined months of April and May were 25% up on the previous two months.

Gary Gleeson of VBH says, “We get nothing but positive feedback on Orion both from industry professionals and from consumers. End users really appreciate the fact that their locks are guaranteed to the tune of £2000, and the fact that the operation of Orion is guaranteed for 10 years.

“As consumers, we are all very switched on to all aspects of a potential purchase, and many door buyers are making the simple choice of opting for the installer who is offering proteQ10, over those who don’t.”

VBH has recently introduced a bespoke key alike service to allow Orion cylinders of different finishes and sizes to be operated with the same key. www.vbhgb.com

New Range Of Friction Stays From AT Precision

Aluminium hardware supplier AT Precision has strengthened its range of products with the launch of a suite of friction stays.

The friction stays are suitable for both uPVC and aluminium windows, and are available as 17ml stack height. There are three versions in the range – standard, egress and easy-clean egress – which all have the crucial advantage for fabricators that they can be fitted on standard profile systems without any additional preparation being required.

AT Precision sales director Michael Hewitt comments: “We’ve always placed product quality and competitive pricing very high on our agenda, and the addition of this new range of friction stays means that our customers can easily satisfy all their aluminium hardware needs with reliable products that are built to last.

“Our range of hardware for aluminium windows and doors is constantly growing, and because we manufacture in-house, we’re able to offer our fabricator customers affordable prices.

“It’s our goal to provide a long-standing and trouble-free service to all our customers, and the new range of friction stays has been a very worthwhile addition to our product portfolio.”

AT Precision also promises next day delivery on all orders made before 1pm, and free delivery on orders within the UK over £250.