Clearview National May 2016 - Issue 174 | Page 59

FIT SHOW 2016 OBSESSIVE ABOUT INNOVATION »»As Masterframe confesses on its own website, “We admit we’re a little obsessed!” And when Clearview caught up with Managing Director, Alan Burgess, at the Company’s stand at The FIT Show in Telford, last month, it became quickly apparent that this obsession stemmed from a labour of love, honing a very specific craftsmanship, which has ultimately lead the business to develop a niche market in a vast industry to become a master in the art of creating a truly authentic looking PVCu sash window. In fact, Alan actually helped to create the UK’s first dedicated PVCu box sash in 1984. So naturally, Alan was very enthusiastic about the products on the stand. And rightly so. The Company continues to deliver genuine design innovation with a product that takes its appeal from looking dated, not only pleasing planners but at the same time giving the discerning customer something new and market leading, with the high performance of today’s standards. Take the new dedicated mullion for example. Although some sash window manufacturers make single windows and then couple them together, Masterframe has always offered the windows on one continuous cill. Coupled frames result in a mullion in excess of 140mm wide (225mm if you include the sashes). And a planning stipulation, which ruled out all other manufacturers in the market, lead to a customer request for a window to resemble coupled frames but with mullions of around 100mm. “Our small team of designers, led by Ray Rabett, soon established that PVCu would not be a viable option, as the Eiy would not be strong enough to satisfy the design wind loading and overall performance of the product,” Alan explained. “But, using a specialist supplier in Europe, a prototype butt jointed mullion was built and tested for adherence of the wood foil.” “As the mullion is screwed together, not welded, it provides the added benefit of being butt jointed, just as the timber originals were, and the staff bead detail “picture frames” the sashes perfectly to mimic the same detail found on timber originals,” says Alan. The new mullion significantly improves the aesthetics, doing away with two frames coupled and is far less bulky, a regular complaint of coupled windows, reducing sightlines by 33% (just 99mm). It also allows more light into the building, providing more free solar energy gain and in turn enhances the comfort of the inhabitants, something customers that have since specified the window for their projects are in full appreciation of. What’s more, the sashes are not limited to fixed sashes, both sides are able to operate normally, each can slide and tilt, giving added functionality not previously achievable. But Alan’s obsession really comes in to play when you notice the nylon inserts in the latches. These improve the performance and longevity of the latch function and it’s this kind of attention to detail that allows Masterframe products to command a premium price, something that Alan doesn’t shy away from. “We’re not cheap. Indeed, we’d go so far as to say we’re considerably more expensive than other sash window producers. But that’s because we include more. “People buying sash windows for their homes tend to consider aesthetics first, not price. Therefore if you have the most authentic sash window, packed full of finer details which recreate the look and feel of original sash windows and retain the character of their home, then trade customers find it easier to demand a premium and are happy to pay ‘above the norm’ for the extra enhanced quality they get from Masterframe,” he explains. A great example of this on the stand at The FIT Show, and something that particularly caught the eye of Clearview, was the London Sash. Finished with beautiful pewter and porcelain furniture, the London sash has been fitted with a trim on hinges, allowing the window to be able to tilt. Plastic inserts have also been used so that the sash is square in appearance on the inside but appears arched from the outside, making it ideal for replacement work that meets planning stipulations to retain the original character of the property. www.masterframe.co.uk MAY 2 0 1 6 5 9