Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Colour is everywhere and today’s window market is no exception. For evidence, look at any trade journal or even this article.

No matter which sector you are in, or which materials your windows are manufactured from, there is a rising demand for colour finishes. But where is the demand coming from? There are as many answers as colours but colour options are approaching 10 to 15% of the market.

Three key factors in the growth include; Fabricators, in a tight market are targeting market share growth between window construction materials. uPVC fabricators in particular have looked to imitate competitors; here you see for example the rise in dark grey shades (E.g. Anthracite RAL 7016) as both uPVC and timber look to match powder coated metal frames used in social housing and commercial sectors. You also see the rise of embossed foil finishes where uPVC looks to match the painted surface finishes of timber window colours and lighter colour foiled wood grains to imitate premium wood grains such as Irish Oak.

Consumers have also changed, today they are looking to differentiate, increase kerb appeal or add value to properties. They are either replacing first generation double glazing, selecting from a menu of new build colour swatches presented by the marketing teams from house builders or interestingly investing for the first time as a new installation as government figures suggest that around 24% of the UK housing stock is yet to install any double glazing!

Consumers today are less willing to see “cheap” looking plastic components against premium linear foiled profiles. Small components stand out against the foils. With an average customer parting with over £10,000 for a house of new windows or a conservatory, the final aesthetic and finish is becoming increasingly important. The market is aligning with other colour trends. We can see the decline of dark woods (Mahogany / Rose wood) replaced with lighter (Golden Oak / Irish oak). This follows trends elsewhere in for example the domestic furniture market and highlighted in publications such as the Renolit’s colour road1 which reflect and forecast changes in consumer tastes. With over 60 finishes2 used in the window and conservatory markets in solid colours and wood grain’s this presents its own challenges for vacuum foiling companies.

The customers who have the money to spend in the current market will and are paying premium prices to have all the finishing touches closely matched. Albeit with a slightly glossy finish due to the vacuum foiling process. No longer is it acceptable for example to have a tan trickle vent on a golden oak profile, it needs to be foiled or printed to blend in on the frame.

Technology has also moved on, there is less value to be added by replacing existing IGU’s with today’s more efficient glazing and 70mm profiles, compared to the first installations upgrading single glazed windows and the element of a distress purchase as old timber frames degraded more rapidly.

Window components such as cill joiners, end caps, sash horns and colour matched products such as drain-hole covers and trickle vents are affected. On conservatories it is prominent components such finials and caps with matching finishes that add value and convert orders with end users. Try it…. take a Glazpart Irish oak printed trickle vent and your standard colour vent option and show a potential customer and see the reaction… anecdotally even with the price differential (added value) it also increases your potential of converting a sale.

There are however, technical limits to what can be achieved even with these components, so it is crucial to work with an expert vacuum foiling company at the design stage.

Some issues to offer the finishes you want in the long term can be overcome with printing technology but once you have tooled up, it may be too late or too expensive to offer colour foiled or printed options.

Dean Bradley is Sales and Marketing Manager for Glazpart Limited, suppliers of vacuum foiling, aqua printing and plastic spraying services to the window market and is a designer and manufacturer of trickle vents and window system components.

1 Link to the Renolit colour road http://www.renolit.com/ corporate/en/innovations/ colour-road/
2 To see a comprehensive range of colour options available down load the tricklevent brochure from www.glazpart.com/ products

Tuesday, 24 September 2013 

General Building Plastics (GBP) are the first distributor to stock the latest trickle Ventilator from Glazpart in Central England. With over 20 years’ experience of supplying high quality PVC building products to the trade and DIY markets this innovative new product is seen as a key development for the business.

The Link-Vent’s will be available either from stock or delivered within 48 hours by our trained staff, daily between 7.30 and 4.30 on weekdays and Saturday mornings. This is from their four branches located at key locations at Rugeley, Shrewsbury, Banbury and Walsall covering Central England.

According the Wendy Hill, Director, GBP Ltd

“The Link-Vent range fits well into our quality product offering and with the extensive range of colours we look forward to a successful launch”

The trickle vents will initially be available as screw fixed with the option to add clip in pawls for faster installation on site. As with most items at GBP the trickle vents will be available ex-stock in white, brown, tan and black in both the 2500 EQA and 5000 EQA.

The Link-Vents are designed to meet the requirements of building regulations, Approved document F1 2010 (Means of ventilation) whilst delivering a product to meet the needs of today’s ventilation and window markets.

According to Dean Bradley – Sales and Marketing Manager, Glazpart Ltd “The link-Vent is the most versatile and efficient trickle ventilator on the UK market today”

Key features include:

Versatility
Meets F1 requirements for new build and replacement sectors
Designed for use on all window types (UPVC, Aluminium and Timber)
1000’s of colour decoration options, delivered in any combination or packaging requirement.

Compact
The Link-vent 5000 EQA delivers significantly more EQA performance compared to similar overall length traditional 4000mm2 (free area) ventilators.
The Link-vent 2500 EQA delivers approximately the same performance of a traditional 4000mm2 in the length of traditional 2000mm2 (free area) ventilators.

Efficient
2500 EQA is delivered through a 204 mm x 13 mm slot size, reducing routing machine times and waste materials generated. For simplicity the 5000 EQA has 2 slots of the same size.

Use of ASA in this application delivers

Excellent UV colour stability with good mechanical properties

Clever design
Simple, user friendly opening of the vent finishes with a positive closing action.
The innovative “link” allows the closure plate to be positioned to reduce draughts with the benefit of directing air away from occupants.
The Link-vent 5000 closure plate is split to allow for partial (50%) opening and further ease opening of the ventilator.
Rounded ends of the vent allow for installation on timber windows
Available in either screw or clip in fixing types
The screw fix design eliminates the need for end caps.
The clip fix design Pawl’s allow for a fast, easy vent installation.

1000’s of Colour options
Standard colours in stock at GBP are White, Dark Brown, Black and Tan. Colours also available to order from GBP will be Cream, Grey (7015 and 7016), Chartwell Green and the Wood grain print effects of Irish Oak, Golden Oak, Mahogany and Rosewood as well as Paint sprayed ventilators to ANY RAL, BS colour and a colour swatch matching service is also available.

Thursday, 29 August 2013 

Banbury-based Glazpart, is a specialist injection moulding company with extensive experience in the furniture component industry, employing 80 staff at its ISO 9001:2008 certified site, producing millions of mouldings each month.

Glazpart has launched a new catalogue covering its extensive range of furniture fittings, tube inserts and components for use in joinery, furniture and engineering applications. These include square, round, rectangular and special application tube inserts, desk components, ferrules, anti-rattle rings, screw and nut covers. Also covered is the range of special shaped inserts such as domed, flat sided and threaded.

Fully revised and easily downloadable online at https://glazpart.com/products/furniture-fittings-tube-inserts/ or read as a “flip file”, with instant access, the catalogue provides detailed summaries of all key products features and benefits from our extensive product lines.

For the first time our specialist ranges of feet, covers (nut / Bolt and screw), ferrules and tips the layout gives a concise overview of this diverse and extensive product range.

An extensive range
We now also offer an extensive range of colour options, whether a moulded colour, vacuum foiled, printed wood grain or paint sprayed.

According to Dean Bradley – Sales and Marketing Manager:

“This is a key document for Glazpart and our customers as we try to improve market knowledge and understanding of our range and where to use our products.”

Whilst downloading the catalogue, there is the option to keep in touch through social media, or you can add your details to our electronic mailing list to find out the latest developments in our furniture fittings and tube inserts at Glazpart as they happen.

Thursday, 22 August 2013 

Glazpart are proud to be sponsoring the charity golf day for Enrych, a national charity supporting leisure and learning opportunities for adults with a physical disability.

Details of the day:
18 hole team event sponsored by Glazpart Ltd playing for the Michael Jones Jewellers Trophy.

Main Competition:
4 ball stableford off 3/4 handicap, 2 best scores to count at each hole- prizes to 3rd place. Ladies individual prize for the Mike Swann trophy.

Entry fee of £160.00 per team of four.

Team prizes for first, second, third and longest drive nearest the pin.

Entry fee includes:
Team entry
All day buffet
Evening auction of sports and leisure items

Location:
Tuesday 3rd September
Cherwell Edge Golf Club, Chacombe, Banbury, OX17 2EN

Contact Elaine Gilbert:
elainejulia2003@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: 07801 482 408

Monday, 22 July 2013 

Banbury-based Glazpart, is a specialist injection moulding company with extensive experience in the fenestration industry, employing 80 staff at its ISO 9001:2008 certified site, producing millions of mouldings each month.

Glazpart has launched a new website covering its extensive range of products and services. These include trickle vents and Glazing accessories for the window industry, tube inserts and furniture fittings for its joinery markets and an overview of its custom moulding, injection tool making and surface decoration services. Now available on the site are easily navigable product summaries and technical detail by part number as well as general advice and technical information to assist in understanding often complex applications and regulations.

According to Dean Bradley – Sales and Marketing Manager:

“This is a key step in supporting our customers to access the right technical data easily whilst providing useful background information to improve knowledge regulatory understanding to raise standards across our key markets ”

Product catalogues can be downloaded instantly on our Tricklevent, Glazing accessories and Furniture fittings product ranges or if you prefer review the catalogues online as “flip files” to read the technical details as though reading a paper copy!

New to the site is the option to keep in touch through social media and you can add your details to our email mailing list to find out the latest developments at Glazpart.

Tuesday, 2 July 2013 

Sunday the 9th of June 2013 saw a team from Glazpart gallantly take on other local teams in the famous annual “It’s a knockout” competition held in Banbury.

As you can imagine the team “absolutely smashed it”, but because of some very suspect scoring, possible back hands and blatant cheating from every other team we ended up coming in joint 7th, but as we all know it’s the taking part that counts, unless of course you win.

Indeed, so much fun was had we even made it onto the Banbury council website

Congratulations to all the team, team sheet is below;

Andy Lobban
Edward Lawford
Sarah Brown
Andy Peters
Adam Stride
Peter Haynes
Weronika Plantier
Andy Peters
Dan Waight

Tuesday, 2 July 2013 

Jo Cotton-Cook recently completed a 5 kilometer “Race for life” run, seen in the picture Jo completed the course in an admirable 35 minutes. In the process she raised £120 for Cancer Research UK, this was after the previous nights “Night in for Macmillan” raising £250.

As Glazpart’s credit controller we can be sure that all sponsors will be chased for payment !!