Glazpart is delighted to announce that General All-purpose Plastics (GAP) have become Glazpartners – the marketing partnership set up by Glazpart to develop closer collaboration with customers for mutual benefit.

GAP are low maintenance PVC-U building product specialists, who have been successfully supplying the trade for 30 years for both the residential and commercial building markets.

With their headquarters in Blackburn, Lancashire, GAP has four manufacturing hubs spread across the UK and have been manufacturing, distributing and stocking PVC-U systems for over 25 years, including their Rockdoor composite doors and HomeFrame PVC-U windows and door brands.

The low maintenance specialists supply (the GAP brands) across England, Scotland and Wales across an expansive network of over 85+ depots covering the UK from Inverness all the way to Southampton.

GAP has extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to fenestration and are a proud to be a Glazpartner as they have been using the Glazpart vents within their designs for over a year, upgrading to the Link Vent after the Building Regulations (Part F ventilation) changed in July 2022.

The ‘Link Vent’ range sizes include 5000, 4000 and 2500 EQA. Equivalent Area (EQA) is the measure of the vents’ airflow performance.

The vents are designed to fully comply with building regulations, Approved document F1 (means of ventilation).

With a clever design that is simple and user-friendly for both opening and closing – the Link Vent’s innovative closing action allows the closure plate to be positioned so that it reduces draughts by directing air away from occupants.

The Link Vent 4000 and 5000 closure plate is split to allow for partial (50%) opening and greater ease of opening of the ventilator.

The Link Vent also has rounded ends of the vent and is available in either screw or clip in fixing types – the design eliminates the need for end caps whilst the clip fix design (Pawl’s) allows for a fast, easy vent installation.

With smart design, easy fitting, and functionality as well as a huge choice of 1000s of colours and decorative finishes, it’s easy to see why GAP chose the Link Vent for its extensive range of windows and doors.

Simon Bird, Joint MD, GAP commented, “It is an honour to develop our partnership with Glazpart, who have provided an incredible solution to what has been an issue for the fenestration sector in recent years. This newly formed partnership will allow us to continue providing our customers with the best quality units for installation whilst meeting the updated regulations with ease.”

Dean Bradley, Sales Director, Glazpart added, “We are delighted that GAP are Glazpartners and happy to supply our award-winning Link Vent range for GAP windows and doors. The Link Vent offers a superb solution for ventilating the home and blends in with the overall design of the window. Its proving increasingly popular with fabricators, manufacturers, installers and homeowners across the UK.”

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has announced that Glazpart’s Link Vent 4000 has been nominated for three Product Innovation awards in the following categories: Wellbeing, Air Quality and Thermal Comfort.

On hearing the news Dean Bradley, Sales Director of Glazpart commented:

“We are delighted to be shortlisted for such prestigious awards. The Link Vent 4000 has proved to be an essential addition to our trickle vent range since it was launched in 2022 in time for the Building Regulations changes to Approved Document F (ventilation). To have our product recognised for its contribution to improving homeowners’ wellbeing, air quality and thermal comfort is a great testament not only to the product’s performance but also to our production, sales and marketing teams that have brought the Link Vent 4000 to the marketplace with such great success. We are now looking forward to attending the awards in February.”

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering and to support the community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence.

The CIBSE Building Performance Awards always attracts high quality entries and a diverse selection of projects, companies, people and products from across the building industry.

The annual event showcases the achievements of companies and individuals who develop strategies for refurbishment and energy-efficient operation of existing buildings, design new buildings that operate more effectively and develop the products and systems that support them. Those shortlisted included detailed evidence which demonstrated actual measured performance and not just design intent or performance specifications.

Winners from the shortlisted entries will be announced at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards on Thursday 29 February 2024, at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London. For more information on the Awards, please visit the awards website.

Glazpart is pleased to announce that the company will be exhibiting at Manufacturing and Engineering North East (MENE), to showcase the Glazpart range of products and to increase brand awareness in the broader manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Manufacturing and Engineering Northeast (MENE) returns on Thursday 30^th November at Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle. This vibrant trade exhibition highlights manufacturing innovation and engineering expertise across the North of the UK and attracts market-leading suppliers and leading industry experts.

The one-day show is packed with seminars and opportunities for manufacturing and engineering professionals in the north of the UK to meet, learn and grow.

On Glazpart’s participation Dean Bradley, Glazpart Sales Director commented:

“Though Glazpart exhibits, sponsors and attends many national and international events, it is vitally important that we also participate at focused regional exhibitions to continue to raise our profile and to show companies from new sectors our products and manufacturing capacity. The MENE Show is the perfect platform for Glazpart to display its array of products to a broad range of industrial sectors in the North East from construction to automotive, and furniture sectors and many more.”

Visitors to MENE can expect to gain valuable insights from industry visionaries during informative keynote sessions and develop hands-on skills and expertise through engaging practical workshops. Glazpart’s team of experts will also be on hand to demonstrate Glazpart’s full range of services from sharing market insights and research to design and development through to the manufacturing of plastic moulded product solutions.

Fay Bibi, Glazpart Specialist and Custom Product Manager added, “Glazpart has been leading the way on bespoke products across many different sectors. I am looking forward to attending the MENE Show and to sharing information on Glazpart’s manufacturing facilities and product knowledge, with potential customers and other industry leading experts. It promises to be an exciting show.”

Dean Bradley, summarised, “We are looking forward to exhibiting and presenting our broad range of products and solutions to buyers and key influencers in multiple sectors in the North East. At the present time, we are witnessing a lot of change in the plastics industry with key issues at the forefront around regulations, recycling, materials cost, product availability and timely delivery. It may be challenging for many and that’s we are attending the MENE show, to help others by sharing our market intelligence, innovation, solutions and demonstrating our technology.”

Glazpart once again sponsored and participated in the Glazing Summit at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham on 12 October and yet again it proved to be an ideal platform for Glazpart to share views and concerns on the changing regulations currently impacting and set to impact the glass and glazing industry.

The Future Homes Standard is a set of rules that will come into effect from 2025 to ensure new homes produce over 30% less carbon emissions than the new homes being built to current Building Regulations.

Following the June 2022 interim changes to Building Regulations, which impacted replacement and renovation (existing buildings), the legislative measures from the Future Homes Standard will see further changes in the regulations, particularly in the legislation around energy efficiency, security, ventilation and overheating for new build property.

As a leading designer and manufacturer of plastic glazing accessories including trickle vents, it was only fitting that Glazpart was invited to be a key contributor to the Glazing Summit’s first panel debate on the “Regulatory Minefield”.

Dean Bradley, Glazpart Sales Director was part of a panel of four experts on the “Regulatory Minefield” and commented, “It was great to take part in the panel discussion on the challenges the industry faces on existing and incoming regulations. I was pleased to share my concerns about the regulatory changes at this crucial time in the evolution of building regulations and environmental policy. In 18 months, the Future Homes Standard will be implemented and with the interim changes made to Building Regulations in June 2022 likely to continue, the industry needs to be thinking well in advance of any further changes to regulations.”

The Regulatory Minefield topics covered the probable changes to window u values (the heat transfer measurement used for assessing a window’s energy efficiency; the lower the U-Value, the better the insulation and energy efficiency.

The panel held the consensus that the U-Value for windows will in all likelihood shift from 1.6 w/m² to 1.2 w/m²  for the replacement market and 0.8 w/m²  for new build which will in all probability stipulate that triple glazing has to be installed (depending on the semantics of the final document).

Aligned to U-Values changing, window and door companies will also likely need to comply to meet the incoming regulations for security under Approved Document Q, which for new build will mean that for all accessible windows to comply they will have to have laminated (security) glass on the outer pane and potentially steel reinforcement in frames and sashes. This will present major challenges due to the weight of the windows. Companies will have to use upgraded hardware and adjust for the protection, transportation, storage, lifting and installation of the units.

As well as the obvious issues that many in the industry may have with the regulations, Dean Bradley raised the following concerns about companies complying in time.

“The industry needs to be ready for any changes and the challenges they will present. Companies should be gearing up to comply from day one of the implementation. In June 2022, when Approved Document F was enacted as an interim change to Building Regulations, very few companies in the industry were in position to comply with the new legislation. Within a few months, most of the more responsible companies were complying but it was fortunate Glazpart had stocks (about one million vents) of our Link Vent range pre-prepared to cope with the demand. Even now only about 70% of the industry are compliant with the Approved Document F regulations. For Future Homes, the industry needs to be ready to embrace, engage and comply with any changes that will impact them and not wait until the last minute.”

Following the Glazing Summit, Dean Bradley, summarised, “Once again it was a fantastic event and great to hear the attendance figures were the highest ever. We were pleased to share our views, concerns and knowledge in the panel debate and enjoyed the multiple opportunities to network with key players in the industry. Overall, it proved to be an enjoyable and productive day for the Glazpart team.”

For over 40 years, Emplas has grown to become one of the UK’s largest and best fabricators of energy efficient and low maintenance windows & doors.

A leading player in the UK, Emplas remains a family run business and works with some of the industry’s leading suppliers including Profile 22, Saint-Gobain and ALUK to bring cutting edge innovation to energy efficient door & window fabrication that meets the highest industry standards.

For over four years, Glazpart has supplied the Link Vent range to Emplas. Given their strong working relationship, it is no surprise that Emplas has joined the Glazpartners programme which promotes companies working in collaboration to meet industry standards. There are few better examples of this partnership in action than June 2022, when Emplas windows and doors with Link Vents installed easily and seamlessly, complied from day one of the changes to Building Regulations – Approved Document F – means of ventilation.

The “Link Vent” range sizes include 5000, 4000 and 2500 EQA. Equivalent Area (EQA) is the measure of the vents air flow performance.

The vents are designed to fully comply with building regulations, Approved document F1 (means of ventilation).

The Link Vent follows a clever design that is simple and user friendly for both opening and closing – the innovative closing action allows the closure plate to be positioned so that it reduces draughts by directing air away from occupants.

The Link Vent 4000 and 5000 closure plate is split to allow for partial (50%) opening and greater ease of opening of the ventilator.

The flexibility of the Link Vent design eliminates the need for end caps whilst the clip fix design (Pawl’s) allows for a fast, easy vent installation. The Link Vent is available in either screw or clip in fixing types.

With smart design, easy fitting, and functionality as well as a huge choice of thousands of colours and decorative finishes, it is easy to see why Emplas decided to use the Link Vent for their range of PVC-U and Aluminium windows and doors.

Kush Patel, Managing Director of Emplas commented, “Our relationship with Glazpart is going from strength to strength and we are pleased to be Glazpartners. We use the Link Vent range not only to ensure compliance with the new regulations but also because of its smart design, colour choice and easy installation which makes it perfect for our windows and doors.”

Dean Bradley, Sales Director of Glazpart added, “Emplas’ products are renowned for their high quality and we are delighted they are Glazpartners. Our Link Vents in a vast array of colours complement their range of windows and doors. The Link Vent is the award-winning product that is proving ever popular with manufacturers, fabricators and consumers across the UK.”

Glazpart is pleased to confirm the appointment of Andy Denness as Finance Director, taking responsibility for the senior financial management of the Glazpart Group.

A qualified chartered accountant, Andy has over 25 years post qualification experience in several industries including logistics, food production equipment and communications. His experience stretches from management accountancy to financial controller and finance directorships for SMEs and Blue-Chip companies.

On his appointment, Andy commented “I am delighted to be part of Glazpart’s senior management team during this time of strong growth and with great potential ahead.”

Dean Bradley, Sales Director added, “I have no doubt that Andy with his acumen and strategic planning skills will be a great asset to the Glazpart Group management team and going forward instrumental to our continued success.”

Glazpart – the plastic injection moulding specialists, exhibited at the Interplas in Birmingham in September and found it to be the perfect platform to showcase their award-winning products to hundreds of companies in the plastic components market.

Following the three-day show, Dean Bradley, Glazpart Sales Director commented, “Interplas proved a great success as we had so much to show visitors to our stand and also had a lot to share with potential customers in terms of our facilities, capabilities and flexibility across multiple markets.”

Glazpart’s impact in the plastics industry has been significant for over 35 years but with so much activity in 2023, the company’s initiatives and products are being widely recognised.

Recently, the company’s Link Vent 4000 was nominated as a finalist in the “Product of the Year” category at The Plastic Industry Awards. In addition, British Plastics Federation included the Link Vent 4000 in its review of most innovative plastic products in 2023.

Aligned to the general recognition, Glazpart is also in the running for three National Fenestration Awards (NFAs) including “Product of the Year” for the Link Vent and also in the “Window Component Supplier of the Year“ category.

Glazpart’s outstanding success in the last 18 months can be attributed to several factors including substantial investment in high tech machinery, staying ahead of government policies and changing regulations, development of product ranges and improving its customer relations with the launch of the Glazpartners’ programme in May this year which has already seen over 40 companies sign up to be part of the initiative.

As the success continues, Dean Bradley summarised, “It’s been a great year so far for Glazpart and exhibitions have more than played their part. Interplas has been an excellent stage and we were delighted to be part of such a high-profile international exhibition. It allowed us to reach new customers in multiple sectors and also proved a great networking opportunity for our sales team to engage with existing customers and listen to their needs whilst also providing the latest news on our own activities.”

Window Ware is one the UK’s largest distributors of door and window components. Offering a wide range of over 5000 products and delivering to companies of all sizes across the country, they work hard to help keep fabricator production lines moving and trade counter shelves stocked. And it takes the long-term support of leading supply partners and manufacturers like Glazpart to ensure dependable deliveries and excellent customer service which have become Window Ware’s hallmarks.

One of the most popular products in Window Ware’s Glazpart range is the Link Vent series of trickle vents, available in a choice of 3 sizes: 5000 EQA, 4000 EQA and 2500 EQA. Equivalent Area or EQA is used instead of free area to specify the sizing of trickle ventilators as it is a better measure of air flow performance.

The vents are designed to fully comply with building regulations, Approved document F1 (means of ventilation).

The Link Vent follows a clever design that is simple and user friendly for both opening and closing – the innovative closing action allows the closure plate to be positioned so that it reduces draughts by directing air away from occupants.

The Link Vent 4000 and 5000 closure plate is split to allow for partial (50%) opening and greater ease of opening of the ventilator.

The flexibility of the Link Vent also has rounded ends of the vent to allow for installation on timber windows and it is available in either screw or clip in fixing types – the design eliminates the need for end caps whilst the clip fix design (Pawl’s) allows for a fast, easy vent installation.

With smart design, easy fitting, and functionality as well as a huge choice of 1000s of colours and decorative finishes, it is easy to see why many fabricators and installers are using Glazpart’s Link Vent products and ordering from Window Ware.

The vents are designed to support compliance with building regulations, Approved document F1 (means of ventilation).

The Link Vent features a simple yet innovative opening and closing mechanism, with a fully adjustable closure plate that controls airflow and helps reduce draughts by directing air away from occupants. On the 4000 and 5000 model, a clever split closure plate allows for partial (50%) opening and greater control of operation.

The Link Vent has been designed with flexibility in mind. The vent’s rounded ends allow for discrete installation on timber windows, as well as PVCu and aluminium frames, while a choice of screw or clip fixing methods accommodates most fitting preferences. The screw fix design eliminates the need for end caps whilst the pawl clip fix system allows for a fast, easy vent installation.

With their smart design, easy fitting, and user-friendly functionality, as well as a huge choice of 1000s of colours and decorative finishes, it’s easy to see why many companies are using Glazpart’s Link Vent products.

Richard Bryant, Window Ware’s Commercial Director commented, “The Link Vent range is a strong addition to our product portfolio. It offers our fabricators exactly the kind of versatility they need in terms of colours and finishes, so they can meet their consumers’ need for choice and to keep up with market trends.”

Dean Bradley, Sales Director, Glazpart added, “We are delighted that Window Ware not only stock and distribute our award-winning Link Vent range, but have also become Glazpartners. The Link Vent is one of the top ventilation choices for window and door fabricators and installers across the UK. Not only does it help companies comply with the latest building regulations and provide a slick ventilation solution for modern homes, but it can complement the appearance of any door and window, no matter the style, colour or finish!”

Glazpart is pleased to announce that Melanie Hickman has been appointed Area Sales Manager for fenestration, for the South of England.

Melanie joins Glazpart with almost ten years of sales and account management experience including four years in the construction products distribution sector.

On her appointment, Melanie commented, “I am delighted to join the Glazpart team at such an exciting time of growth and product development. Having worked on the product distribution and retail side of the construction industry, I am aware of some of the issues affecting the sector but I am now really looking forward to continuing to operate in the supply chain on the manufacturing side.”

Looking after the entire south of England is also a challenge that Melanie is relishing, she adds, “This is the largest territory I have been responsible for in my career to date and it is packed with many companies of different types, sub sectors, sizes and levels. Handling such a diverse range of accounts is something I am positive I will enjoy.”

Dean Bradley, Sales Director, Glazpart commented, “We are delighted to recruit Melanie in this vital role covering all our customers in the south of England. Her appointment follows our sales team restructure this year and I am sure Melanie, with her sales experience and skill set will be a great asset to the company going forward as we continue to develop our resources and growth in the fenestration sector.”

Glazpart is delighted to announce that Fay Bibi has been promoted to the newly created role of Sales Manager – Custom and Speciality Products.

Fay has built a formidable career in the plastics manufacturing industry for more than 30 years which has included extensive experience and knowledge in specialist custom and bespoke mouldings. At Glazpart, Fay’s work on a portfolio of window components for locking, packing, fitting, toe and heeling, ventilating and assembling windows has improved and protected countless windows and doors during shipping, storage and installation.

In addition to Fay’s substantial experience in product development, she has also looked after some of Glazpart’s top 100 UK customers and helped grow Glazpart’s account base in system houses, fabricators, installers and distribution sectors.

On her new role Fay commented,

Dean Bradley, Sales Director, Glazpart commented, “We are delighted that Fay will spearhead our specialist and bespoke products range. Fay’s experience in product and market development and expert knowledge will be invaluable as we continue our growth strategies across all sectors. Given her successful track record at Glazpart, I am sure that Fay will excel in this new and vital role.”