44
DECEMBER 2013 PRO INSTALLER
PRO BUSINESS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
Energy Efficiency Has
Never Looked So Good!
With the advent of new
legislation and the
increasingly heated
debate over energy
pricing the desire for
the consumer to make
savings using efficient
products is reaching
new heights.
As the politicians try to
empathise with the general
public from the warmth of
number 10 it is the everyday worker and those most
vulnerable that are really
feeling the pinch. Ofgem
are expecting energy prices
to rise as much as 13% this
winter alone so there appears to be no foreseeable
end to price hikes in sight.
With this in mind it is
really no wonder that the
demand for energy rated
products is rising sharply.
Thermally efficient glass
and insulated spacer bar
systems are marketed
aggressively in trade press.
When it comes to decorative
glass for doors there are
some material hurdles to
overcome such as the use of
metals within the decorative
pane which are arguably
not the best options when it
comes to energy efficiency.
The team at Dual Aspect
Glass are keen to tackle the
problem head on and are
already providing solutions.
Their managing Director,
Jeremy Town, explains : ‘we
have recognised for some
time that the age old materials utilised in decorative
glazing of lead and metal
caming are in our view
outdated when it comes to
thermal efficiency so we
have made it our business
to develop decorative glass
from more energy friendly materials. For example
‘Outdated when it comes
to thermal efficiency’
our triple glazed product is
different from our competitors as it is made using new
patented technology that
does not include any metal
within it’s make up. Instead
we use UV stable polyesters
and acrylics that have superior thermal characteristics.
The other big advantage is
that our Dual Aspect triple
glazing costs far less than
conventional triple glazing.
This allows us to enhance
product performance further with the addition of
coated glass and gas filling
without making the product
expensive. Test simulations
have revealed a centre pane
U value recorded of just
1.16 w/m2k which we are
naturally delighted with.
This is sure to help our
composite door customers
keep pace with the ever
more stringent standards
that are required.’
Dual Aspect is a leading
supplier of decorative glass
for composite doors and
also market resin bevel
products where they believe
they have raised the bar on
quality and performance
after recently retaining
unit clarity after a full 10
year UV weathering cycle
on this product. Mr Town
adds ‘ The success we have
achieved with recent UV
testing has been a triumph
and given our customers
the confidence that they
are getting the very highest
quality of product with no
compromise on the materials used. We are now also
subjecting our resin bevel
panels to thermal testing
and hope to unlock further
advantages. Indeed w e see
thermal performance as key
to all products we supply
including our fused tile effect, screen prints and triple
glazing’.
To learn more contact the
team at Dual Aspect on
01303 267187 or 07702
308374.
‘Prime example’ of industry shift
towards trade counters
Acquisition Of
Remaining 50%
Many in the industry have been saying it for a long time and now it has
been officially confirmed by the Insight Data ‘Fabricator and Installer Market
Report’ – trade counters are becoming key drivers in the supply chain.
HL Plastics Ltd has
acquired the 50% of
Zoom Conservatory
Roof Systems it did not
own from The Capulet
Club LLP.
The annual ‘Insight
Report’ is the most
comprehensive study
into the UK glass and
glazing market. Over
15,000 companies were
interviewed and it reveals in-depth statistics
and industry trends.
According to the Insight
Report, “a significant shift in
distribution channels is occurring across the window,
door and conservatory industry. The traditional route
of fabricator >> installer >>
homeowner is being challenged by a rapidly growing
network of trade counters.”
The report also states
that, “a growing number of
specialist operators who
neither fabricate nor install
have sprung up in recent
years. These businesses
buy-in products in volume
from a fabricator, and sell
on to small installers, DIY
and builders through the
depot.”
A real life example of this
is Northern trade counter
chain Truemans. Truemans
has branches in Burnley,
Sheffield and Doncaster,
and have grown substantially over the past 12
months.
Truemans don’t fabricate
and as a result are able to
focus on the customer and
added value services. Joe
Trueman, managing director
of Truemans, discusses the
growth in trade counters
in more detail: “Part of the
reason trade counters are so
popular is the convenience.
Installers can pick up their
products at time that suits
them rather than waiting
for a delivery and then
having to store the goods.
Trade counters can offer a
wider product choice, which
helps us appeal to a wider
audience.
“Like Truemans, many
trade counters offer a free
skip facility, which is very
popular with installers. It
means they can get rid of
old frames quickly and easily and don’t have to pay for
the privilege.”
Visit www.
truemanswindows.co.uk
or call the Doncaster
branch on 01302 322 223
Capulet is Martin Randall’s
investment vehicle, which
two years ago bought the
assets, designs and intellectual capital from Epwin
Group. Roger Hartshorn,
Group Managing Director of
HL Plastics and Liniar Window Systems, and Martin
Randall, Chairman of Crystal
Direct, teamed up to invest
in Zoom and the conservatory market.
HL now owns 100% of
Zoom Conservatory Roof
Systems. The purchase
includes the complete manufacturing facility, assets,
customer base, designs and
intellectual capital. The
Zoom Ready business is
relocating to Derbyshire to
a site alongside the Zoom
Liniar warehouse. Zoom
Ready’s existing production team, including Keith
Langley General Manager,
is also relocating as part
of the purchase. The new
Division will be headed up
by Keith.
Martin Randall says: “We
invested in Zoom because
both Roger and I saw the
immense potential for
conservatories and conservatory related structures. We
still believe in the immense
potential for conservatories,
but Crystal Direct, my other
business is growing very
fast so I’ve decided to focus
on Crystal Direct.”