VIEWPOINT

Rehau Launches ‘In The Frame’ Campaign For

Commercial Windows

Rehau has launched a new campaign to help commercial window specifiers navigate the ever-changing complex landscape of building regulations, technical specifications, and sustainability.

Both Net Zero pressures and multiple changes to building regulations have resulted in Rehau seeing a significant increase in demand for its commercial technical support.

Most recently this has centred around the Future Homes Standard and updates to Part L and F. The polymer manufacturer is working closely with those throughout the supply chain – commercial fabricators and installers, architects, developers, local authorities – to help alleviate pressures around compliance since the first changes officially came into force on 15 June 2022.

As such, Rehau’s technical experts have aired concern that following several years of fluctuating information and debate around the topic, architects and specifiers could be left with multiple sources of conflicting advice.

Mark Gajda is head of technical services and certification at the systems company and has been leading a project to ensure its high-performance uPVC continues to exceed all relevant Building Regulations. He says: “The Future Homes Standard is of course not new. It has been high on the news agenda for a number of years now, and it’s this level of content and debate around it that could risk people being served the wrong information.” In response, Mark and his team have developed a series of four fact sheets aimed at those working with architects, specifiers, and surveyors which aim to provide a brief introduction to the changes, projected timeline, and targets. Two of which cover energy efficiency requirements under Part L for new build and refurb projects, and the other two address ventilation standards through Part F for the same.

The wider ‘In The Frame’ initiative will then shine the spotlight on other commercial technical issues throughout the rest of the year, including Passivhaus, sustainability of materials and overheating in buildings.

All of this content will be hosted within a dedicated online hub for specifiers working across large multi-residential and commercial projects, whether that be in the housebuilding, public sector, local authority, or private commercial sectors.

Steve Tonkiss, head of sales south at Rehau Windows, said: “We are seeing more and more technical queries coming through from the commercial end of the market and therefore identified a need for a dedicated space where they can find what they need quickly. For more complicated matters, our dedicated commercial sales team are on hand to advise on certain specifications.

“With regards to Future Homes in particular, it’s important to realise that just because you change one thing in line with regulations, it may impact another – such as acoustics, weather performance and the like. This is an area we are getting a lot of questions on so would encourage anyone who is unsure to get in touch and we will be happy to help advise.”

Today For Tomorrow – Kömmerling’s New Sustainable Branding Celebrating quality! Allan Brothers MD Morten Bach Valsted (left) with Martin Brown, director of the Guild of Master Craftsmen

Allan Brothers

Is Awarded ‘Certificate Of Quality’ By The Guild Of Master Craftsmen

In the 125th anniversary year, Kömmerling is positioning itself for the future with the realignment of its brand, with sustainability right at the heart of the new positioning and philosophy. It is about taking action today and making the right decisions for tomorrow and this philosophy is reflected with a completely new brand image, with a new logo and slogan.

Dr. Peter Mrosik, owner and CEO of profine, on the background to the brand relaunch said: “Living up to our responsibility means protecting the future. It’s up to us, the industry leaders of our time, to make a difference today. As determined and ambitious doers, we have the strength and the will to deliver positive change in everything we do.”

He continued: “But we want to be more than a pioneer, we also want to be a role model for others. For everyone who, like us, feels equally committed and capable of rising to this major challenge. Our goal is to create a sustainable loop for high-quality products made of synthetic materials. Today we develop the right solutions for tomorrow and set standards for a future worth living for. This is what our Kömmerling brand stands for.”

Today for Tomorrow – this message becomes the central brand core, which is reflected in all product, image and social media communication deliverables. The communication of the brand puts responsibility and sustainability issues into focus and the new Kömmerling logo displays natural elements like the sun and water in abstract form and embodies circularity.

The new slogan is the thematic and emotional framework for the new appearance and in just three words, it sums up the brand message and direction that Kömmerling stands for: Today for Tomorrow. The new branding will be rolled out across Kömmerling UK’s marketing communications in the coming weeks and months. Allan Brothers Ltd, reputedly the UK’s oldest wood windows and doors manufacturer, has been awarded membership of the Guild of Master Craftsmen in recognition of its excellence in timber craftsmanship.

To receive the prestigious ‘Certificate of Quality and Service’, qualifying companies undergo rigorous assessment to prove that they have earned the right to be called ‘master craftsmen’ through the quality of their work, the service they provide and their high standards of customer care.

Founded in 1811, Allan Brothers has a long history of traditional woodworking and specialist joinery skills that have been passed down through generations of craftsmen at its factory in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

These handmaking skills are combined with the efficiencies of a modern streamlined manufacturing operation to produce bespoke timber and aluminium clad timber windows and doors to the highest performance standards.

www.allanbrothers.co.uk

For more information about the Guild of Master Craftsmen, logon to: http://www.guildmc.com

Andrew Wright Windows Renew Membership With Secured By Design Scottish glaziers, Andrew Wright Windows, have renewed their membership with Secured by Design, the official police security initiative. Established in 1937, Andrew Wright Windows are a family-owned glazing business, serving their local community and providing a range of services to domestic, commercial, trades and local authority clients across Scotland. With the company’s head office, showroom and both manufacturing facilities based in Irvine, Ayrshire, and a workforce of over 100 skilled workers, Andrew Wright Windows’ is one of the largest private sector employers in the area. The Heritage and Matrix ranges of doorsets and windows manufactured and supplied by Andrew Wright Windows are claimed to be highly secure and energy efficient and available with a number of customisable colour and hardware options. The company’s commitment to customer service is said to be evident in their included 10-year guarantee. Charlie Berry, managing director of Andrew Wright Windows, said: “Achieving accreditation for the security of our windows and doors has always been a top priority for Andrew Wright Windows and we know how much our customers are reassured by our continuing membership with Secured by Design.” Kenny McHugh, Secured by Design, commented: “I am thrilled that Andrew Wright Windows have chosen to renew their membership with SBD. They have a range of Heritage and Matrix doorsets and windows which have achieved Police Preferred Specification, and I am looking forward to continuing working with them over their membership period.” The company’s renewed membership of SBD comes hot on the heels of recent confirmation that, following a series of commercial contract wins, they have created 28 new jobs and expanded production capacity, through an almost £1 million investment in new production equipment and vehicles. You can find out more about Andrew Wright Windows and their Secured by Design accredited products at: https://bit.ly/3vfKzt8

Vista Renews SBD Membership

Vista Panels has renewed its membership with the official police security initiative, Secured by Design (SBD), achieving Police Preferred Specification (PPS) on a range of the company’s best-selling doors, locks and hardware.

Vista prides itself on its ability to ensure that its products are manufactured to meet the requirements of all the latest industry standards, including PAS24:2016, CE marked/ UKAS marked, and ISO relevant ISO standards. Having been an SBD member for the last 16 years, Vista Panels continues to show its commitment to supplying customers, both within the domestic, social housing and newbuild market, with high-quality, secure doors.

“Being members and able to make doorsets to the SBD standard is a must for us as a company – our customers expect nothing less from us, whether it is for a commercial or domestic client, replacement security is always at the top of the list of requirements. It is reassuring that the option to upgrade to an SBD specification is always there for them” comments Ian Smith, head of sales and marketing.

Secured by Design is owned by

the UK Police Service and works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings, with the specific aim to reduce crime and help people live more safely. SBD is the only way for companies to obtain police recognition for security-related products in the UK.

For over 30 years, Secured by Design’s product-based accreditation scheme – the Police Preferred Specification – has and continues to provide a recognised standard for all security related products that can both deter and reduce crime. SBD works alongside a range of manufacturers and standards authorities to ensure that security standards are current and up to date with emerging criminal trends. www.vistapanels.co.uk

John Mitchell

Technical Manager Technical Manager Carl F Groupco Carl F Groupco

Experts in Hardware Hardware

“ Carl F Groupco’s hardware support throughout PAS 24 testing has been invaluable…” Get in touch and speak to one of our experts today:

t. Peterborough:

01733 393330

t. Cumbernauld:

01236 721557

e. sales@carlfgroupco.co.uk w. www.carlfgroupco.co.uk

The Business Pilot Barometer offers a monthly analysis of the key trends defining window and door retail. It draws on real industry data collated by Business Pilot, the cloud-based business management tool developed by installers for installers.To find out more see www.businesspilot.co.uk/barometer

The Business Pilot Barometer Sales down but order values up

write home about. The three-month trend, is however, worth noting. The market is down, inflation has hit, and the boom is over. Year-on-year, things are stark. Sales are down June 2022 on June 2021 by 30%. Leads are down 29% over the same period. As we have stated previously, this doesn’t indicate that we’re heading for a crash, the year-on-year change is nonetheless striking. Average order values, did, however, continue to climb, up 1% on May. Year-on-year, June 2022 compared to June 2021, the increase is 43%.

By Neil Cooper-Smith, Senior Analyst, Business Pilot

We can now say with confidence that the market cooled significantly in the last quarter, with sales dropping by around 12% in the three months from April to June.

It follows a small drop in average sales in June on May, down by 3%. The number of new leads also fell month-on-month, recording a 6% drop. As we highlighted last month, we attribute this to a shift away from single item and ad hoc aspirational spend, for example the purchase of bi-folds or a new front door, to a more comprehensive whole house approach to home improvements.

This is being driven by inflationary pressures, which is on the one hand driving an element of market contraction but on the other creating new opportunities, particularly in home energy efficiency.

Although the rate of house price inflation has slowed, simple pressures of supply and demand mean that the house prices have held firm. As long as people have equity in their properties and confidence in the housing market we can expect them to continue to want to invest.

The Greener Homes Attitudes Tracker from Natwest showed last month that the number of people planning green home improvements rose from 16% in at the end of 2021 to 22% in May this year. It also suggest that homeowners were bringing improvements forward in response to rising energy prices.

This indicates that those with a greater disposable income are continuing to spend. Those who are feeling the pinch, aren’t.

While council tax rebates and energy relief payments from government are welcome, they provide a short-term solution only. We would argue against this context and as called for by the Climate Change Committee at the end of June, the creation of a programme to support all homeowners in improving the energy efficiency of their homes is now pressing from an environmental but also socio-economic perspective.

We believe that this pattern is going to define the market going forward this year and into much of 2023.

The Bank of England says it expects Inflation to hit a high of 11% before falling back to around 2% by sometime in 2024.

The market is going to be tougher for the foreseeable future, so understanding where your leads are coming from and maximising conversions is going to be key. With a sophisticated lead tracking capability, lead heat mapping and sales pipeline management tool, Business Pilot helps you maximise leads, manage their conversion and then simplifies project delivery maximising your profitability on every job.

For more information visit www.businesspilot. co.uktoo early to say if we’re seeing a readjustment or the start of a downturn.

Either way, it appears things are going to be tougher, certainly than they were, and tightening up on your sales and operational processes, to convert more and get more from your teams by automating repetitive tasks and working in a far more connected way is sensible.

We have customers who have saved upwards of £40,000 a year by understanding and tracking operations more effectively. That could be £40,000 back on your bottom line, without having to sell more or work any harder.

Kris Bennell, contracts director of ASWS

ASWS Sees Activity

Returning To Pre-Pandemic Levels

During the early days of the first lockdown, much was made in the mainstream media as to what the ‘New Normal’ might eventually look like and, while seeing its order book returning to a similar level as before the pandemic, steel window specialist, Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS), is now able to identify a number of key differences to its business model, and the wider market.

Back in March 2020, the London-based family company, which offers a unique expertise in the repair and refurbishment of metal windows of all types, had just removed a number of large format steel windows from the Battersea Power Station complex, ready for full restoration. But, within days, ASWS was forced to furlough 80% of its workforce as construction sites closed, and its management set about examining how operations in its Croydon workshops might safely be resumed.

ASWS’s Laura Mercer reflects: “Looking back at what happened after previous recessions, our order books picked up again quite rapidly with refurbishment jobs and, although the pandemic was a very different situation to those downturns, the same has been true. However, clients’ concerns about going full tilt into projects is giving us more time to carry out thorough surveys, and to get the scope of the work fully agreed.

“There is also the fact that basic materials – especially different types of glass from Europe – are taking so long to reach us that customers are often opting for repair and restoration rather than replacement. In respect of repair, we have virtually everything we need on our premises including a large stock of salvaged fittings and, therefore, unlike our competitors, we are able to hold our prices for a period of weeks or months rather than just five days. In fact, some customers have told us that nobody else had actually offered them refurbishment as an option which gives us a real advantage.” authority planning and conservation officers are getting back to into their offices, the management team at ASWS has also felt there is new sense of camaraderie with its client base.

She explained: “Covid brought a lot of changes, not just in having to test every week and maintain safe distancing while working, but also you found yourself communicating with different people at your customers, perhaps unusually right up to director level when previously you spoke to the QS or an engineer. Then, as well as asking about how people were, you’d find out how their families were coping, or where they were working that day, in a way you never did before. I think most of us in the industry now have a spirit of having got through something very tough together.”

Those everyday measures which kept the ASWS workforce safe included having staff travelling to sites in central London and elsewhere using separate vans, staggering shifts in the workshop, and ensuring everyone had the correct facemasks or other PPE. Efforts were also made to ensure that operatives were on site at the times required by main contractors to take part in testing programmes. Only one member of staff contracted the virus and has made a full recovery.

Summing up Laura said: “There’s no doubt the Government furlough scheme was a lifesaver for our industry, and meant we were able to bring people back in stages as work got back to normal, and we haven’t had to lay anyone off permanently. So many of the people in our core team have 20, 30 or more years’ experience of this work, which is invaluable for a business like ours. It’s a very special skillset; and the feedback we’ve had about our performance during the pandemic tells us that our brand identity has had a boost.” www.asws.co.uk

Navigating The Trickle Vent Conundrum

Stuart Judge, MD of Tradelink

Stuart Judge, managing director of Tradelink, explains what the new Part F of the Building Regulations means for window installers…

Trickle vents in windows have long been used in the background as a means of complying with Part F of the Building Regulations: ventilation. While this has not always been straightforward, things have become more complicated with the new 2022 building regulations and it is worth remembering that the burden of compliance falls on the window installer.

For the glazing industry, the most relevant change in Part F concerns background ventilation: the requirement for ventilation is much bigger than it used to be. The way background ventilation is calculated has also changed, it has been amended to individual room values rather than whole house figures. as it supplies outdoor air for the health of the building and its occupants. As homes become ever more airtight to reduce heat loss through air permeability, the importance of controlled ventilation increases. Even so, it is important to look at the bigger picture. Ventilation through a trickle vent in the frame or sash is counterintuitive to what we are trying to do to increase the overall thermal efficiency of windows, so it is vital that they are used only where needed.

How the regulations are interpreted will, inevitably, vary greatly. Every case has to be considered on its merits because the required ventilation can be achieved not just via trickle vents in windows but through other forms of ventilation, such as mechanical whole house ventilation systems. This means that, while the duty of care falls on the installer at the point of sale – not the homeowner, developer, fabricator or manufacturer – understanding the bigger picture for any particular installation is not always easy.

Trickle vents are often resisted by the other parties on the grounds of aesthetics. It is well documented that homeowners are not keen on any increase in the number or size of trickle vents. Despite this, homeowners will not be able to sign a disclaimer; the installation must conform to building regulations. Any attempt to circumvent the rules would come back to the installer, not the homeowner. Understandably, installers may put in trickle vents whether they need them or not to be sure they are complying with the regulations.

Although the vents are not that much bigger than before, the way that they operate and the measurement of their airflow has significantly changed. As a window manufacturer, we are working to ensure we provide the best commercial offer for the customer and the right choice of trickle vent. We have changed our vents to be able to provide ventilation through the use of a single ventilator. We have also worked hard to adapt our manufacturing details and have achieved good colour matching and pattern matching to ensure the vents are as unobtrusive as possible.

While we cannot tell installers whether a particular window requires trickle vents, we can guide them through the regulations and equip them with the documentation and solutions to meet the new regulations.

A standard trickle vent from Tradelink

Dear Gerald

Dear Gerald

At Edgetech, we’re delighted that common sense has prevailed for a second time regarding product safety regulations and the UK’s exit from the EU – but we still have some concerns.

We’ve been closely following the government’s plans for replacing the CE mark: the symbol that, for decades, has indicated whether a product complies with EU health, safety and environmental protection laws.

When the UK voted to leave the EU, it was inevitable that system would have to change – but in the early stages, the government’s handling of the process was far from satisfactory.

Ministers suddenly announced that businesses would have to start complying with its new UKCA mark by January 2022 – leaving extremely little time for thousands of companies to get vast numbers of products retested.

Faced with a backlash from industry and lobbying from trade bodies, the government reconsidered, recognised the challenges faced by industry, and extended the deadline to 1st January 2023.

Now, they’ve gone further. One of the biggest challenges preventing businesses from certifying their products to the new UK standard was the lack of a mutual recognition agreement that would allow them to use test data from EU recognised notified test houses to support their certification.

This has changed. The government has made it clear that AVCP System 3 testing data from an EU recognised notified body will be accepted until the 31st December 2022.

This makes things significantly easier for UK businesses to achieve UKCA marking and is therefore an extremely positive move.

However, one of the core difficulties still remains. Even now that data from EU notified bodies will be accepted, there are still only a relatively small number of test centres to go around – and thousands of businesses from multiple sectors rushing to get their products tested.

Our fear is that this is only going to provide short term relief, and many of these tests take many months to complete in test centres already backed up.

So there’s the question of what happens in the longterm. After we reach the 1st January 2023 deadline, if testing is delayed or incomplete, or if recertification is required as a result of product introduction or changes, what happens then?

If the only test resources are UK approved bodies, how does the industry cope, particularly when not all certification required is even available from a UK approved body?

Currently there’s a lack of UK Approved Bodies capable of testing IGUs to certain specific requirements in EN1279 or WA17/1 thermal testing in the UK.

And then there’s the extremely complicated situation in Northern Ireland – where businesses are faced with the costly and challenging prospect of having to meet CE, UKCA, and the territory’s own UKNI marks all at once, potentially having to gain duplicate certification from different regional test bodies.

Rather than a succession of quick fixes, none of which deal with the core issue, we hope we’ll see ministers in the UK and the EU agree on the most pragmatic solution – an ongoing Mutual Recognition Agreement, that sees EU body test certificates accepted in the UK and vice versa.

Yours sincerely,

Gary Shoesmith

Head of technical & quality,

Kush Patel

Becomes Emplas Managing Director

Kush Patel, who has served as deputy managing director of Emplas, has been named as new MD, in a formalisation of Emplas’ pre-existing structure. Kush, who joined the company in 2004, became deputy managing director in May 2017, since when he has led Emplas’ manufacturing operations, supported by operations director Phil Harrison.

Ryan Johnson, who has also stepped into a newly created group managing director position as part of the move, said the appointment reflected the contribution that Kush had made to Emplas’ growth over the past decade and ‘formal-

ised a pre-existing management structure’.

“In reality Kush has been doing the job of Emplas Managing Director since 2017 when he became deputy, so operationally nothing has changed. It’s more about recognising the contribution that he’s made and continues to make to our business.

“I’ll continue to have a responsibility for sales and marketing with Jody Vincent, and Phil Brown, will continue to head up our finance team, with Kush supported in operations by Phil Harrison.

“It formalises a structure which gives us a very strong senior team and supports our future growth plans.”

Kush joined Emplas as a production scheduler fresh from university with a degree in business. He steadily progressed through the Emplas ranks gaining an understanding of the business from the grass-roots up.

This included rapid progression within a year to planning and operations manager and a spell in the sales team, before joining the Emplas Commercial Contracts team, to head up the delivery of a 27,000 window low and high rise refurbishment project for Bristol City Council.

Made Operations Director in 2012, he led Emplas’ capital investment programme, including its’ factory extension and multi-million investment in machinery, both of which have provided a foundation for its current growth. Working alongside Phil Harrison, he has also led on the manufacturing efficiency drive, which has supported Emplas in achieving operational efficiency gains of up to 15% in the last 12-months, helping it to control costs and hold prices to its customers.

Kush said: “What I hope the team will get out of it is the sense that regardless of where you come into the business, Emplas offers you a genuine career path and hard work is rewarded.

“It’s not only me, we have a lot of members of the team who have climbed through the ranks and many others who may be starting that journey now, but who are the leaders of our business tomorrow.” www.emplas.co.uk

Luminia Select Partner

Award Winning Windows & Doors to the Trade

Luminia Select Partner

LEAD TIMES FROM 15-DAYS

THE F82 LUMINIA ALUMINIUM BI-FOLD FROM EMPLAS

• Standard colours including Anthracite; White; Black; Anthracite on White; and Black on White in as little as 15-days • U-Values of 1.4W/m²K (double-glazed) and 0.9W/m²K (triple) • Ultra-slim and symmetrical sightlines • Contemporary hardware including patented flush ‘T’ handle • Fully tested to PAS24 and Part Q • Clip-on cill option