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SUNSQUARE , THE FIRST BSI accredited manufacturer of rooflights and skylights , has never been a company to rest on its laurels . The desire to make the best possible product was the reason why Sunsquare was founded in 2004 and this remains its guiding principle today . As a result , it is continually scanning the market for new technology to enhance product performance and improve manufacturing processes . And testimony to that , is Sunsquare ’ s recent adoption of Henkel engineering adhesives and dispensing equipment for a variety of applications .
Based in Bury St . Edmunds , Sunsquare is the brainchild of Technical Director James Boughton , a talented design engineer who could see that roof and skylight design was stuck in a rut . He sold his house and car for the funds to set-up Sunsquare in opposition to the then market leader of flat roof skylights ; a bold move but one which has certainly paid dividends .
Eight years ago , Justin Seldis bought-in to Sunsquare as Managing Director , to take the company to the next level from a sales and marketing perspective . Today , under the successful partnership of the two owners Sunsquare has a turnover of around £ 5m , a workforce of nearly 50 and two factories , selling products all over the world . Its products regularly feature on the TV programme , ‘ Grand Designs ’ and also boast a notable number of ‘ firsts ’.
Sunsquare rooflights were the first to be kitemarked , a standard that Sunsquare actively pursued for an industry that , hitherto , was not scrutinised . It was also the first manufacturer in the industry to opt for heat soaked , toughened glass to exclude impurities for better performance and the first to have its products CE Marked .
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And this fierce commitment to continuous improvement endures with traditional methods frequently making way for innovative processes .
“ For example , just because the industry has always used neutral silicone to seal its glazed units , that ’ s no reason to presume it ’ s the only way or , more importantly , the best way to do it ,” James Boughton explained . “ The biggest problem with silicone is its life expectancy and this is one of the benefits we have gained by working with Henkel .” Indeed , when Sunsquare first opened discussions with Henkel at a trade exhibition this was one of several practices that proved ripe for change .
Since that first meeting , four applications for Henkel engineering adhesives have been proposed , extensively tested and proven . The process has also created an effective working partnership between Henkel and Sunsquare , not just to address ongoing design and production issues but health and safety concerns too .
SHORTENING TIME- TO-MARKET
Although there are standard Sunsquare designs , most of the company ’ s products are manufactured to architects ’ specification . The framework , which comprises designed-forpurpose elements rather than offthe-shelf profiles , is constructed in the first of the company ’ s two dedicated factories in Bury St . Edmunds . To minimise airborne contamination , glazing and assembly are conducted in a separate factory . An important driving force behind changing bonding and sealing methods was the need to equalise the output of both production units .
Around 35 frames can currently be produced per day ,
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but glazing and assembly can only be completed on 25 , a problem that could be largely attributed to the handling and curing times of the previously used bonding and sealing adhesives . Sunsquare already has an enviable record of fast product turnaround despite this production imbalance but , true to form , it wants to do even better . It has 48-hour turnaround in its sights so speed and efficiency , both in terms of the adhesive ’ s characteristics and its method of application , are now more important than ever .
The first of the Henkel products now employed to address this need is most commonly used to bond windscreens in trains , buses and other vehicles facing harsh environments . It is a single-part , polyurethane TEROSON ® direct glazing adhesive with built-in UV stability which , when applied to a vehicle , gives a drive-away time of just one hour . The product ’ s credentials for use in the safetycritical automotive industry together with its cure speed and ability to bond without the need for a primer , proved very attractive qualities for Sunsquare .
The only preparation that ’ s needed is for the frame to be cleaned with Henkel ’ s TEROSON ® VR20 . This product is ideal for cleaning the bond area as it had been specially developed to remove any silicone residues that remain on the glass surface and which can compromise the efficiency of the bonding process .
“ By comparison with our previous glass bonding adhesive , the TEROSON ® adhesive gives us longer open time but cures much quicker ,” James Boughton confirmed . “ The bondline is sufficiently hardened for us to clean off any excess within the hour and a good degree of cure in just four hours .”
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TEROSON sealant and adhesive provides many advantages over neutral silicone
Two guns apply the adhesive , one for fine lines , the other for high flow
Faster adhesive cure is increasing productivity as Sunsquare sets its sights on 48-hour turnaround
A HENKEL piston drum pump optimises adhesive application and reduces wastage
Excess adhesive is skimmed off to create a flat and clean seam
MORE TIME SAVINGS AND GREATER DURABILITY Further and significant production time savings have also been made by replacing the neutral silicone , traditionally used in this rooflight industry to weatherproof bond lines , with another TEROSON ® product . Unlike silicone which is simply a sealant , the TEROSON ®
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