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Archives for March 2016

GGF Hails Fensterbau A Great British Success

Events, News |

Following the show, James Lee, Head of GGF Group Marketing commented, “Fensterbau has seen a much stronger British presence than in previous years. Thanks to our five co-exhibitors, made up of high profile UK companies and GGF Members the whole event proved a great success.”

Matthew Glover, Chairman of The FIT Show who exhibited on the UK Pavilion added, “It was a very productive few days for the FIT Show and we’ll certainly be keen to take part again in 2018.”

The UK Pavilion consisted of six co-exhibitors including the GGF, The FIT Show, Glazpart, RITEC International, Clearview magazine and GQA Qualifications. Each company had their own individual exhibition stands within the UK Pavilion and use of a café/meeting area on the stand.

Following the show, Dean Bradley of Glazpart commented, “We met with potential clients from over 20 countries and we were pleased to launch some new products in frame corner protection at the show. We have already saw a return on our investment and the UK Pavilion was ideal as it allowed the group of exhibitors to cost effectively work together, increasing our impact and presence at the show.”

Derek Brown, RITEC International Business Development Manager, added, “This was our first Fensterbau and it was an unqualified success for us. The stand was always busy and we accumulated many high quality leads from all over the world. We would very much like to return in 2018.”

The UK Pavilion also staged the British Reception sponsored by Wintech Testing and Certification. Gailord Nepp, Managing Director of Wintech commented, “We really enjoyed Fensterbau and the British Reception which was well attended. We were pleased to sponsor this special event on the UK Pavilion and increase our brand awareness at this international event.”

Fensterbau Frontale reconfirmed its leading position in the global window industry and exhibition market, with a record number of visitors in 2016: the event brought 110,581 representatives from the wood and window industries to Nuremberg, compared to 108,967 on the previous occasion in 2014. The second day of the event alone saw a record 38,568 visitors flow through the halls – a figure never previously achieved by the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg in a single day. The venue, fully booked for the event, hosted a total of 1,296 exhibitors, about two-thirds of them from outside Germany, presenting new developments and innovations from the wood processing industry and the fields of window, door and façade construction.

James Lee concluded, “I have been doing exhibitions for over 20 years and this one is up there with the best of them. The UK was well represented with a strong stand presence and the visiting audience was high in both quantity and quality. Overall the show went smoothly and working with the other UK companies made everything much easier. The GGF and all the co-exhibitors will be holding a review meeting in a few weeks when we hope to start planning for Fensterbau 2018.”

If any UK company is interested in being part of the UK Pavilion at Fensterbau 2018, then please contact James Lee on marketing@ggf.org.uk for further information. 

 

Energy and Climate Change Committee Report: When will the Government listen?

Legislation, News, Politics |

Political Blog from GK Strategy

A report released this weekend by the Energy and Climate Change Committee has outlined how the Government must do more to reduce consumer gas and electricity bills by improving the energy efficiency of new and existing homes. This is something which the sector has long championed and something which makes economic and environmental sense, yet gulfs still remain in the Government’s policy on encouraging increased energy efficiency. 

The report calls for the zero carbon homes policy to be reinstated, which was scrapped following the election and says it is, “crucial that the [Government] renews its efforts to drive demand for energy efficiency”. The influential Committee of MPs have also said in their report that, “it is crucial that the Government establishes a long-term framework for energy efficiency.”

Zero carbon homes was something the report say is “a positive and ambitious policy, which could have saved future homeowners money on their energy bills.” The policy was designed to help the housebuilding industry reduce all carbon emissions from homes through measures such as energy efficiency services, products and insulation. It is clear that Energy Efficiency not only helps achieve Government targets but means households will have smaller bills to pay, something which will surely be welcome news given the expectation of the Chancellor to announce further cuts to public spending in the budget tomorrow.

The fact remains that inaction is simply a false economy. The longer the Government avoids investing in promoting the uptake of energy efficient measures, the longer households and businesses will go without realising the broad ranging benefits it would bring. Expectations of a specific announcement on this policy area in the Chancellor’s Budget tomorrow are not exactly high, but the further the Government pushes this down it’s priority list, the worse off consumers will ultimately be. In the words of the Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee Angus MacNeil MP, “Investing in warmer and more energy efficient homes is a ‘win win’” – isn’t it time we all started winning from increased energy efficiency?

The GGF and its Membership has benefited from the services of GK Strategy since 2010. GK not only helps the Federation engage with Government but also provides daily monitoring, background information and analysis of key Government departments and other relevant political news that may affect the Glass and Glazing Industry.

www.gkstrategy.com

 

 

GGF Urges Greener Budget from Chancellor

Legislation, News, Politics |

The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) is urging the Chancellor, George Osborne, to commit to more consumer incentives and funding initiatives to make the UK building stock more energy efficient, ahead of his Budget statement on Wednesday the 16th of March.

The GGF has long championed the vital role energy efficiency plays in reducing bills for households and helping to achieve Government carbon reduction targets. Ahead of the Budget, the GGF is eager to see a commitment from the Chancellor to support and grow the construction sector in delivering more jobs, more innovation and to increase energy efficiency in the UK’s building stock.

In particular, the GGF is calling on the government to fill the void left by the failures of Government initiatives such as the Green Deal, as well as the scrapping of zero carbon homes and the decision to stop funding to the Green Deal Finance Company. Now more than ever, the need for clear and supportive policy which effectively communicates the benefits of encouraging the uptake of energy efficient measures to consumers is paramount.

The GGF hopes to see the Chancellor address several key areas including: endorsement of the positive work of the Bonfield Review; removal of regulatory burdens for SMEs; support for the inclusion of glazing on the list of products eligible for a lower rate of VAT; and more clarity on how/if the apprenticeship levy will work in tandem with the construction levy.

The GGF is also advocating for closer consultation with the sector, with the strong belief that government and other industries could learn from the many developments of the glass and glazing sector over the last decade in areas such as innovation, product development, consumer support, instilling market confidence and environmental awareness. 

Giles Willson, GGF Managing Director commented:

“We hope the Chancellor will take the opportunity in his budget announcement to show the government is supporting our sector. By investing in energy efficiency the Chancellor can offer a boost to the thousands of businesses that work in the sector, increase the quality of living for thousands of people and keep people warmer and healthier by creating better homes.”

Chancellor George Osborne will make his Budget announcement on Wednesday 16th March. 

Thermoseal Group at the FIT Show 2016 Innovation Zone

Members News |

The Fit Show 2016 will see Thermoseal Group showcase its highest performance spacer systems – Thermobar and Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacers. See the Group on Stand A60 in the Innovation Zone.

Thermoseal Group is the leading UK manufacturer of warm edge spacer systems and supplier of over 1,500 insulated glass (IG) components. With over 35 years of experience supplying to IG manufacturers and a large private investment into manufacturing and development of its own IG component manufacturing site with a dedicated product innovation centre, Thermoseal Group has a continual flow of new IG products. Its dedicated injection moulding division also ensures that new products are introduced with colour-matched bespoke fittings where applicable.

Thermobar and Thermoflex warm edge spacers have achieved Bundesverband Flachglas thermal ratings of 0.14W/mK and 0.135W/mK respectively. In addition, these spacer bars have achieved Passive House ratings of phA+ certifying them for use in Arctic climates.

All products supplied by Thermoseal Group are tested by the Group’s innovation centre which houses a wide range of equipment dedicated to testing the tolerance and overall performance of its products. The Group also has its own EN1279 test centre to make and test its own IG units to European standards and beyond. This ensures an understanding of how each component performs within the lifetime of the unit.

Marketing Manager Samantha Hill explains: “Thermoseal Group has spent millions of pounds in recent years on the development of new products and in enhancing our innovation centre. We now have a wide variety of equipment and the expertise we have in the IG industry and IG products puts our offering beyond any others.

“At the Fit Show, we would like to show installers how our product quality and the back-up service we offer are the best in the industry. We’d also like to show our Thermobar Interbar and Duplex Systems to simulate multi-pane windows using a warm edge solution. Thermobar systems offer a much lower heat transfer than alternative aluminium systems. Contact our marketing department now on 0121 331 3950 or marketing@thermosealgroup.com for free VIP tickets to the show.”

To find out about Thermoseal Group and its comprehensive range of insulated glass components (including highest performance Thermobar and Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacers) and machinery for glazing manufacture, call +44(0)121 331 3950 or visit www.thermosealgroup.com.

NEW Thermoseal Group Video Showcasing its Bespoke Warm Edge Production

Members News |

Thermoseal Group has introduced its first official video showcasing its award-winning innovation centre and warm edge production, as well as its international IG component supply business.

To watch the Thermoseal Group video, visit the Group’s website where you’ll see the video as the latest news item linked from the homepage – www.thermosealgroup.com. Alternatively, the video is hosted on You Tube at https://youtu.be/FZaycQNmsdg. With over 35 years of experience supplying to IG manufacturers and a large private investment into manufacturing and development of its own IG component production site, Thermoseal Group now has a continual flow of new IG products. Its dedicated innovation centre and injection moulding division also ensures that new products are introduced with colour-matched bespoke fittings where applicable. Thermobar and Thermoflex warm edge spacers have achieved Bundesverband Flachglas thermal ratings of 0.14W/mK and 0.135W/mK respectively. In addition, these spacer bars have achieved Passive House ratings of phA+ certifying them for use in Arctic climates. All products supplied by Thermoseal Group are tested by the Group’s innovation centre which houses a wide range of equipment dedicated to testing the tolerance and overall performance of its products. The Group also has its own EN1279 test centre to make and test its own IG units to European standards and beyond. This ensures an understanding of how each component performs within the lifetime of the unit. Marketing Manager, Samantha Hill explains: “We are extremely proud of our warm edge production and the service we offer to customers. Our glass and glazing industry G-Award double win for ‘Component Supplier Supplier of the Year’ and ‘Training and Development Initiative of the Year’ in 2015 was excellent recognition for us, but it is great for us to now be able to easily give the world a video snapshot of the magnitude of the investment, innovation and development of Thermoseal Group’s business. Please watch the video and see for yourself. “This is the first of two videos we are introducing to showcase our warm edge products. The next video has more of a consumer focus which we will make available to our supply chain. Video 2 will focus on our highest performance spacer systems and how they contribute towards improved energy efficiency by helping to minimise thermal transfer through the edge of the window.” To find out about Thermoseal Group and its comprehensive range of insulated glass components (including highest performance Thermobar and Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacers) and machinery for glazing manufacture, call +44(0)121 331 3950 or visit www.thermosealgroup.com.

Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacer with Free Inkjet Printing

Members News |

Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacer can now be supplied with insulated glass (IG) sealed unit manufacturer company details inkjet-printed on its surface.

Leading UK manufacturer, Thermoseal Group offers this facility for free as part of its service commitment to customers.

The Group’s Sales Director, Mark Hickox says: “Inkjet printing Thermoflex on our production lines means that we can offer a bespoke service to IG manufacturers and help them to achieve requirements for CE Marking. This means that customers can now purchase a bespoke foam spacer with the lowest Thermal conductivity value of 0.135W/mK (according to Bundesverband Flachglas Data Sheet) from a leading UK manufacturer and at a competitive price. Thermoflex is also Passive House Approved with an A+ rating.”

“Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacer is now an established product with many IG manufacturers using it to make highest performance IG sealed units. We have a strong relationship with our customers and make every effort to seek feedback and act upon their requests. It is because of this that we quickly introduced Thermoflex in a wide range of sizes in black and grey. We have also invested in additional buildings to house our growing Thermoflex production facility and increase our capacity four-fold.”

“We currently supply over 50% of the spacer into the UK and this percentage is increasing on a continual basis. Thermobar and Thermoflex are two of the most thermally efficient spacer systems available, and now due to increased manufacturing capacity exciting times are ahead as we take our warm edge range onto the global market.”

“Thermobar and Thermoflex are fully tested to EN1279 standards and various international standards which require performance over and above the 1279 minimum requirements. Both products are also subject to continual in-house batch testing to ensure that the products that we offer are always of the highest quality. All of Thermoseal Group’s products are in continual development in our innovation centre.”  

“We have invested massively in our innovation centre and EN1279 test facilities, to ensure that we understand the conditions within a glazing unit and how each component performs within the lifetime of the unit. This helps us to ensure that the components we manufacture and supply are second-to-none.”

“Thermoflex sales are continually increasing with the growing demand for this product as customers try it and see its advantages in production.”

“We are looking forward to demonstrating the benefits of Thermobar and Thermoflex at both the Fit Show and China Glass in April, and will again be exhibiting on the global glass industry’s leading stage at Glasstec Dusseldorf in September.”

To find out about Thermoseal Group and its comprehensive range of insulated glass components and machinery for glazing manufacture, call +44(0)121 331 3950 or visit www.thermosealgroup.com.

GGF

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+44 (0)207 939 9100