Clearview Midlands June 2014 - Issue 151 | Page 90

BUSINESSNEWS GLAZERITE: WHEN BEING PARTNERS SHOWS We all hope that the recession is over but for some, it never really began, and much of it can be put down to working together in difficult times. This is certainly true of Glazerite Windows Ltd, the VEKA trade fabricator and loyal customer, Fairweather Windows Doors & Conservatories. For Peter Smith, Sales Manager for Glazerite, and Fairweather’s Paul Greig, contact goes back 25 years. “It’s all about relationships,” explained Peter, “along with delivering on quality and supply, and a long term view towards your customer.” Fairweather recently opened a new showroom in Wyke, near Bradford to develop the retail side, showing a comprehensive display with the VEKA range. The business - 12 years old - is a partnership between Paul Greig and his son, Patrick. The relationship with Glazerite has been a crucial factor for Paul. “They have been absolutely brilliant - Peter is like that ad which says it does what it says on the tin and that’s been true in our relationship for 25 years. It’s a partnership I can’t value enough.” Amy Grundy of Veka, Paul Greig and Peter Smith. www.glazeritewindows.co.uk 6 JUNE DEADLINE HERALDS MAJOR CHANGES IN GLAZING REGS The window & door industry in England and Wales is undergoing major changes in regulations on standards and guarantees placing every window installer – and many other trade sectors – under a whole new raft of legal obligations.. The biggest change is that it will now be mandatory for every Competent Person Scheme member to give every customer financial protection on every installation. It is no longer an option simply to offer an IBG – every homeowner must be given one for every installation. The changes also see new rules regarding the MTC Card. These changes mean there must be at least one cardholder present at every installation and, with some exceptions, every survey must be carried out by a cardholder. The Department for Communities and Local Government requires that all Competent Person Schemes must verify the competence of all surveyors and installers in this way. HomePro has revealed that around 80% of domestic window installation companies surveyed were still not up to speed with the changes. Compliance Manager Jim Keane said this was a very worrying result, especially as any installation carried out under any Competent Person Scheme but not complying with the new rules would not qualify for self-assessment. www.homepro.com UK MANUFACTURING COMPANIES MISSING OUT ON JAPANESE ECONOMIC RECOVERY Surface Generation, an SME composite manufacturer based in the Midlands, believes that UK manufacturers are missing out huge opportunities in Japan resulting from Abenomics – the plan of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to shift the country out of a two decade deflationary slump. Analysis by Surface Generation reveals that the value of UK manufactured exports to Japan in 2013 was around 16.5% lower than in 2012. The company, which generates some 90% of its revenue from overseas, says that around 90 JUN 2014 25% of its annual turnover in 2012 was generated in Japan, but this year it could rise to a third. ‘25% of its annual turnover in 2012 was generated in Japan’ Ben Halford, Chief Executive, Surface Generation said: “Under its restructuring, the Japanese government has already spent around £60 billion on public projects and it plans to spend a further £30 billion in 2014. At the same time, the Bank of Japan aims to double the country’s monetary base within two years, which should also fuel the economy. “Everyone gets excited about the export prospects in emerging markets, but they forget that Japan is still the third largest economy in the world with a GDP twice the size of the UK, and its GDP per person is 10 times that of China. More British manufacturers need to wake up to the growing opportunities in Japan which is coming out of its period of stagnation and in many ways should be seen as a new emerging market.” To read more, visit www.clearview-uk.com