Clearview National January 2015 - Issue 158 | Page 72

businessnews

Certified ENERGY
RATING calculator
»»The VEKA UK Group has
unveiled a BSI notified and BFRC
certified window and door energy
performance calculator.
Principal Engineer Tim Williams
unveiled the calculator capable of
providing accurate SELs, DSELs
in accordance with the BFRC, and
notified U-Values for CE Marking
in accordance with EN 14351. The
calculator is free to each fabricator
and their products.
BFRC rules covering the
simulation of spacer bars changed
at the beginning of September,
which made results from existing
SEL calculators invalid and
subsequently illegal. The rules
stated that all warm edge spacer
bars should be simulated as two
box models and all pre-September
simplified energy licenses based
on the old spacer bar simulation

method are now obsolete.
Tim explains: “From
September 1st 2014, changes
in BFRC rules, brought about
by updated European standards
meant that ALL previous energy
rating calculators immediately
became invalid. This affects all
sorts of things down the chain,
including CE Marking.
“I know that many people are
burying their heads in the sand, but
CE Marking is a legal requirement
for windows and doors and making
false declarations about U-Values
may lead to prosecution.
“We’re committed to staying
up-to-date in all aspects of the
business, and our new calculator
is the culmination of more than a
year’s work, to ensure that when
the September changes were
introduced.

“The
new calculator has
been officially notified by
the BSI for CE Marking and
we’ve designed it to provide CE
Marking U-Values in accordance
with BS EN 14351 for all
the major VEKA UK Group
products, and all the variations
thereof.
“It is simple to use and allows
one form to be filled in via
numerous drop down boxes. It is
impossible to get a ‘wrong’ result
as only compatible parts will be
listed for each system.
“We have designed the
calculator to be ‘future proof ’ as
it can accommodate changes, for

example,
if the
Building Regulations go from
1.6 down to 1.4.
“The calculator will be sent
out to our customers manually in
the first instance, but ultimately
the plan is for it to be hosted on
the website and customers can
log in to access their bespoke
version.”
The new calculator is the latest
in a long line of innovations for
The VEKA UK Group.
For more information visit
WWW.VEKAUK.COM

Lack of Skilled Workers
Threatens UK Economic Growth
One of the North’s leading window manufacturers is warning about
a severe skill shortage hitting the manufacturing industry.
»»Building Product
Solutions currently has five job openings and
is yet to receive any interest. The growing
business believes this is down to the current
lack of skilled workers in their industry.
Managing director Ian Harrison said: “It’s an
exciting time to join our growing team; we’re
expanding the premises, investing heavily
in marketing and PR, and securing sizable
contracts, yet we’re still struggling to fill these
excellent positions. If our industry can’t keep
pace with the construction industry, it could
affect the UK economy as a whole.”
A recent survey of 616 businesses by
The Prince’s Trust and HSBC found 43

72 » JAN 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

per cent think Britain’s recovery will slow
down during the next 12 months due to a
lack of skilled workers, while 35 per cent
fear their businesses will fold as a result.
The survey revealed that, like Building
Product Solutions, half of all businesses
polled were already having trouble filling
vacancies.
Ian added: “There is a huge opportunity
for young people as the manufacturing
industry continues to grow exponentially.
Manufacturing and construction
in particular offer plenty of career
progression and continued professional
development.”

The industry requires 82,000 people
alone just to cover retirements over the
next two years and with 45% of businesses
citing their ageing workforce as a concern
Building Product Solutions is keen to
encourage more young people to come in to
the industry.
“There is currently 737,000 young people
unemployed. Now is the perfect time for
businesses to do more to encourage these
young people into the manufacturing and
construction sector. Here, we’re keen
supporters of the apprenticeship scheme but
it’s shocking to know that only 18% of fellow
businesses \