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When homeowners use a GGF Member company to carry out windows, doors or conservatory work, they are investing in professional workmanship and service of the very highest standard. Companies requiring flat glass or glazing products from a GGF Member can also be assured they are dealing with the best companies in the industry. So if you are wanting to improve your home or property, or simply need a glass and glazing product or service, why not browse our directory and contact a GGF Member Company in your area.

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Search Results for: double glazing

Tunbridge Wells Glassworks

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Tunbridge Wells Glass Works is a local, family owned business dealing in glass, mirrors, table tops, traditional lead lights, replacement windows and doors and sealed double glazed units. The business was started in 1949 as a glass merchant and general glazing company, and has grown both in size and in its range of services.

We are still family-owned and we like to think that we still retain the old-fashioned ideals of quality and service that have always been so important to our customers.

  • Glass & Glazing
  • Replacement Windows
  • Mirrors
  • Leaded Lights
  • Balustrades

Window Service Centre Ltd

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Having been formed over 27 years ago, we are Guernsey’s longest established local glazing businesses.
We supply and install both aluminium and PVCu frames in both double and triple glazed. All our products are guaranteed and comply to the latest building regulations.
We offer FREE no obligation quotes and are very competitive.
Any size of project can be undertaken both commercial and domestic.
Our staff are very experienced in their field and can offer fair and un-biased advice when trying to choose which product would be best suited to your needs or application.
Having completed thousands of local installations, our past customers are our best referee’s and we rely on their praise and referrals for more business.
Being members of the GGF, Conservatory Association and The Guild of Master Craftsman, you can be sure of good work.
After all – ‘Service’ is our middle name !
Give us a ring today and we will be happy to make an appointment to come and see you.

  • Tailor-made windows & doors, supplied and fitted
  • Bespoke conservatories, supplied and fitted
  • Replacement double glazed unit service
  • Repairs/replacement of existing hardware
  • Guaranteed products and service

Roman Glass Limited

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Traditional Glazing company with 26 branches across the South West & South Wales.
All Glazing and Mirror Manufacture and fixing undertaken
Coloured Glass Splashbacks and Worktops manufactured and fitted.

  • Emergency Glazing Service 24/7
  • Coloured Glass Splashbacks
  • Safety Glass
  • Mirrors
  • Replacement Double Glazed Units

ASHI Group Ltd

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With 50 years experience in the Home Improvement market, manufacturing your tailor made products in our UK factory, you can rest assured that you are transforming your home with a reliable brand. We are a National Company providing a local service with over 100 local showrooms. With over 1 million happy customers all over the country, Anglian Home Improvements is one of the market leaders in double and triple glazing, front and back doors, conservatories, orangeries, roof products and more .

  • National company- Local service
  • Home Improvements – Windows, Doors, Conservatories, Orangeries, Extensions, Rooftrim & Garage Doors
  • Robust & solid Guarantees on all our products
  • Over 1 million customers, we are highly recommended
  • Bespoke products-Made in Britain

Spectra-Glaze Services

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GLASS & GLAZING REPAIRS TO SINGLE & DOUBLE GLAZED TO ALL TYPES OF FRAME. PVC-U AND ALUMINIUM WINDOW AND DOOR REPAIRS, SERVICING AND PARTS. FULL PVC-U REPLACEMENT WINDOWS AND DOORS. ALL FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES, HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, HOUSING ASSOCIATION AND FACILITIES SERVICES MANAGEMENT COMPANIES.

  • Glazing repairs single and double glaze
  • Window and Door Maintenance
  • PVC-U Window and Door Replacement
  • Solar, safety and obscure films fitted
  • Supply of glass and hardware to trade and public

Holdens SupaSeal Ltd

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Established for over 80 years, Holdens Supaseal remains the oldest family owned company in the heart of the midlands, Known for its quality within the glass industry. We ensure every unit at every stage meets the quidelines.

Glazing Specialists In:

  • Double glazed units
  • Triple glazed units
  • Supaslim Heritage Units
  • Processed Glass
  • Decorative Glass
  • Integral Blinds

Bootle Glass Co Ltd

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Glazing Contractors covering the Commercial , Industrial and domestic Markets. We cover all aspects of Glass & Glazing ranging from mirrors to bevelled and sandblasted glass. We manufacture our own double glazed units as well as Commercial aluminium windows , doors and shopfronts . We also Supply & Fit windows and doors in PVCu and aluminium. Specialising in Leaded Lights both restoration and new commissions. We have a fully stocked Trade Counter open every week day.

  • Glazing
  • Glass
  • Mirrors
  • Double Glazed Units
  • Pyro Glass

D & N Glass Co

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Servicing the Glasgow and surrounding areas since 1971 – All glazing requirements met both Private and Commercial – Safety Glass, Greenhouse Glass, Table Tops & Mirrors, Replacement Double Glazed Units and all glazing repairs undertaken.

  • TRUSTWORTHY
  • EXCELLENT SERVICE
  • RELIABLE
  • GOOD VALUE
  • PROMPT

Anglian Building Products

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With 50 years experience in the Home Improvement market, manufacturing your tailor made products in our UK factory, you can rest assured that you are transforming your home with a reliable brand. We are a National Company providing a local service with over 100 local showrooms. With over 1 million happy customers all over the country, Anglian Home Improvements is one of the market leaders in double and triple glazing, front and back doors, conservatories, orangeries, roof products and more .

  • National company- Local service
  • Home Improvements – Windows, Doors, Conservatories, Orangeries, Extensions, Rooftrim & Garage Doors
  • Robust & solid Guarantees on all our products
  • Over 1 million customers, we are highly recommended
  • Bespoke products-Made in Britain

Hazlemere Commercial Awarded Window & Door Replacement Contract By Leicester City Council

Members News |

The project also involves some internal building works at the school before the replacement windows and doors can be fitted, but the bulk of this buildings improvement contract, worth over £250,000 + VAT is yet another contract Hazlemere Commercial have been awarded involving AluK’s aluminium fenestration products.
GGF Members Hazlemere will be manufacturing and installing replacement white powder coated double glazed thermally broken windows using the AluK 58BW aluminium casement window system, which offers end users a cost effective, high performance solution that is available in a wide range of configurations and formats to suit each building’s design. The window system is available in Top Hung, Side Hung, Tilt before Turn, Fully Reversible and Steel Replacement formats with a range of glazing and hardware options. With clean lines and advanced functionality, this superior window and door system has been designed to offer a high performance, narrow profile solution that has the range and flexibility to suit most projects, in a complete variety of colours and finishes.

Hazlemere Commercial are also fabricating and fitting several AluK GT55 TB aluminium commercial double glazed entrance doors as part of the refurbishment project at Braunstone Frith School. The AluK GT55 TB double glazed doors have been designed to offer high levels of performance through thermally broken screening. This product is part of an AluK ground floor treatment system that includes an integrated range of high-traffic, anti-finger trap doors suitable for single storey applications, so ideal for replacement doors in educational establishments like this primary school in Leicester.

Edgetech UK celebrates a decade of manufacturing

Members News |

Launched in 2007 after a £2.5m investment, the site became the UK’s first dedicated warm edge technology manufacturing facility, serving as Edgetech UK’s main base during a decade of rapid change.
In 2008, further investment saw the company double its capacity in response to surging sales, and, after three more years of impressive growth, Edgetech was acquired by billion-dollar building products giant Quanex. Soon after, Quanex merged Edgetech with their existing spacer company Truseal to become the largest warm edge manufacturer in the world, producing 300 million metres of spacer every year.

Now, established as the global experts in flexible spacer bar technology, Edgetech is marking both its factory’s tenth anniversary and a decade of phenomenal innovation and growth.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be celebrating ten years of manufacturing in Coventry,” commented Chris Alderson, Edgetech UK’s Managing Director. “In that time we’ve come a long way – launching some fantastic new products, and continuing to be the driving force for energy efficient glazing. Now though, we want to focus on what we do best – warm edge spacer bars.

“Thirty years on from when we launched Super Spacer, the world’s first flexible foam warm edge spacer bar, we still offer the best choice, the most versatility and the most outstanding performance of any manufacturer in the industry. From heritage to high rise, flexible to rigid, we manufacture best-in-class products to suit every context and application – and in the decade ahead, it’s our aim to make the world’s leading spacers even better.”

“We’ll be inviting friends throughout the industry to Coventry for an official 10-year anniversary event later in the year,” Chris concluded. “We can’t wait to mark everything we’ve achieved here in the past ten years, and look forward to sharing our vision of what the next ten will bring.”

For more information call 02476 639931 or visit www.edgetechig.co.uk

Hazlemere Windows team to the rescue on BBC 1’s DIY SOS

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GGF Member companies can come to your home’s rescue, just like Hazlemere Window Company Ltd does this week on BBC 1 series DIY SOS.

hazlemere windows staff on bbc diy sos

Last year a specialist windows and doors team from GGF Member company Hazlemere Windows proudly took part in a Big Build DIY SOS project in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire – which just happens to be where Hazlemere Windows has one of its home improvement showrooms.

Hazlemere Windows were asked to survey, supply and install A+ energy rated UPVC double glazed windows throughout the house and in the new extension being built by the DIY SOS team and all the other tradesmen and companies who also had donated their time and resources.

In addition Hazlemere supplied and fitted a double glazed aluminium bi-folding door to the new extension, to enable the owners to open up the space when the British weather allows in the future!

Read more on the Hazlemere Windows blog and don’t forget to tune in to DIY SOS on BBC 1 at 9pm on Thursday 15th June 2017 to see the Hertfordshire property transformed.

Insight Data Set to Unveil Brand New Headquarters

Members News |

Insight Data, the leading provider of prospect marketing data for the fenestration and construction industry, are set to unveil their brand new headquarters.

Insight Data, the leading provider of prospect marketing data for the fenestration and construction industry, are set to unveil their brand new headquarters. On February 9th 2017 a grand opening will take place, with well over 100 VIP guests set to attend the historic event for the Ascot Group (Insight Data, Purplex Marketing and Business Leader Magazine). The official opening of the headquarters will be led by John Penrose MP and Andrew Scott, Managing Director of Insight Data and the Ascot Group. “The new headquarters is just the beginning, the company and group are growing rapidly and the demand for our services is becoming greater every day. Businesses are now realising the importance of marketing and fresh up-to-date information, meaning Insights services are becoming more and more valuable. We aim to double our staff in the next two years.” Andrew commented about the new headquarters. Insight, who used to be based at Bridgwater Court in Weston-Super-Mare have moved to Worle Parkway, which is around 25 minutes away from Bristol City centre. The move is part of a rapid expansion strategy put in place to accelerate the growth of the Ascot Group. Insight data provide prospect marketing databases on Local builders, Architects, Construction companies and Glass and Glazing businesses for the fenestration and construction industries. The Insight Prospect databases contain some 50,000 records and 60,000 key contacts. These databases are complimented by an expert team of professional direct marketers who can produce email marketing and direct mail campaigns, so clients can satisfy all of their marketing needs. For more information on careers with Insight Data or enquiries for our databases or marketing services please call 01934 808293 or email hello@insightdata.co.uk

Energy efficient windows could keep your home warmer for longer

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Modern, energy efficient glazing can make an important contribution to the warmth and comfort of your home – while also helping you save on heating costs.

cars parked on house lined street in winter with snow

Autumn is here and winter close behind it! That means the prospect of rain, hail, sleet, snow and ice – elements you’ll want to escape when you’re inside your home.

However keeping the heat in and the cold out can prove challenging and chances are your home requires a good deal more heating at this time of year.

That could mean a winter spike in the power bill, but did you know that upgrading to modern, energy efficient windows could save you hundreds of pounds each year in energy costs? That’s because they can help keep heat inside your home longer, meaning you can keep your home warm while using your heating system less.

Energy Savings Trust research indicates that up to 23 per cent of a home’s heat energy can be lost through inefficient windows. Installing energy efficient glazing can help save energy by reducing this heat loss.

To help you find out just how much you could potentially save, we developed the GGF Energy Savings Calculator.

How much could you potentially save?

When we relaunched the Energy Savings Calculator on MyGlazing.com last year, we hoped that homeowners around the country would take advantage of the opportunity to see what energy savings they could make by installing new windows with a higher energy rating.

What we couldn’t have predicted was just how popular this easy-to-use online calculator would become. More than 2,000 homeowners have used the Energy Savings Calculator since May 2016.

Based on their results, we’ve been able to extract a few key statistics:

  • the average UK household could save £215 a year by replacing current windows with energy efficient glazing
  • over a third (35%) of homeowners who used the Calculator still have single glazing
  • 83% of those thinking about buying new windows would consider installing double glazed windows with an energy rating of A++, A+ or A-rated, or triple glazing, these being the window types with the highest energy performance on the market
  • on average, homeowners could expect to cut their CO2 emissions by 0.89 tonnes/year by upgrading their windows

Try it yourself: GGF Energy Savings Calculator

The benefits of energy efficient glazing

Energy efficient glazing helps keep heat inside the home and, in combination with other home energy efficiency measures (such as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and an energy-efficient heating system), can lead to a reduction in your annual heating bills.

Assuming the rooms are heated and adequately ventilated, the risk of internal condensation is greatly reduced whilst the reduced energy requirement will help to lower heating bills and naturally save money.

Energy efficient glazing can also have the added benefit of lowering the level of external noise that can enter the property.

The GGF Energy Savings Calculator can provide an estimate of the potential savings you could enjoy when you install energy efficient glazing.

It is important to note that the Calculator assumes that the homeowner has taken all other reasonable measures to optimise the energy efficiency of the dwelling (such as those mentioned above: cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and an energy-efficient heating system).

How do I use the GGF Energy Savings Calculator?

To see how much you could save, simply select the options that best describe your current windows, dwelling type, heating fuel and proposed replacement windows to calculate the potential savings.

The results are based on the most current Government data, relaying a meaningful snapshot of the amount of money and energy that could be saved per household.

For example: The calculator shows that someone with a semi-detached house with timber, single glazed windows of a typical size, using an electric heat source to warm their home could save £459.20 a year if they were to replace them with A++ rated windows – the most energy efficient windows available today.

Try it yourself: GGF Energy Savings Calculator

Is your home ready for winter?

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Your home is your sanctuary – and keeping it warm can be a challenge. Here are some tips on making your home more energy efficient and keeping the heat in and the cold out.

get home winter ready myglazing tips

As the temperature dips, the leaves fall and Christmas lights go up, don’t forget to get your home ready for the cold winter months.

Here are some helpful tips to get your home winter ready.

1) Keep the warmth in (and the cold out)

First off be sure to check that your heating system is in good working order.

Next, make sure that once heat is generated it doesn’t get lost straight away. Check the seals on your windows and doors and if they are broken, we recommend you have these repaired as soon as possible.

A lot of heat can be lost through single glazing and even double-glazed windows installed before 2006. If you believe this is happening in your home, contact a glazing professional to discuss installing or replacing your old windows with modern thermally efficient glazing. Secondary glazing and/or applied window film should also be considered as an option.

It is important to ensure your home has sufficient ventilation to keep living areas healthy and prevent the build-up of moisture. Without adequate ventilation, moisture in the air may lead to condensation, which can cause mould on walls and damp that can damage interior surfaces and impair the quality of vision of your windows.

2) Keep energy use under control

It’s normal for fuel bills to rise over the winter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to reduce your energy use at this time of year.

Your home’s windows could be a potential energy saver. If you live in a semi-detached house with single glazed timber windows and electric heating, upgrading to A+ rated energy efficient windows could potentially save you up to £446 a year in energy costs, based on the average window area for this home type.

Find out how much you could potentially save: GGF Energy Savings Calculator

3) Prepare your home’s exterior

Winter can bring all sorts of extreme weather to your doorstep, so preparing the exterior of your home for what nature could throw its way is a good idea.

– clear out gutters and downpipes.

– check roof tiles and rooflights and have leaks repaired now before the worst of the weather arrives

– check the exterior of all windows and doors for damage that needs repairing

Why shiver this winter? Prepare your home, stay warm and think about the measures you can take to improve your energy efficiency.

Need a glazing professional? Find a GGF Member company near you

Insulating Glass Units Standard and CE Labelling

News |

The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has seen an increase in questions being asked about the ability of some Insulating Glass Units (IGUs) to meet the requirements of BS EN 1279-5:2005 + A2:2010.

Evaluation of conformity, in particular their durability. The IGU design in question are those IGUs marketed as Thin, Slim, Heritage or similar names. These names do not refer to any specific component brand or tradename, and a more accurate description of the IGU would be ‘Narrow cavity IGU with reduced edgeseal sightline’. The main issue in relation to durability is not about the cavity width, the industry has successfully produced 6mm cavity IGUs for many years but whether IGUs constructed with an edge seal depth less than that usually seen in standard IGUs, can be manufactured in accordance with the harmonised European Standard (hEN) and be placed on the market in accordance with the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), introduced as a legal requirement for manufacturers in the UK on 1st July 2013.

Clause (24) of the CPR states;

(24) Except in the cases laid down in this Regulation, the placing on the market of a construction product which is covered by a harmonised standard or for which a European Technical Assessment has been issued should be accompanied by a Declaration of Performance in relation to the essential characteristics of the construction product in accordance with the relevant harmonised technical specifications. 

As stated above, with the exception of IGUs that do not fall within the scope of EN 1279 series, e.g. vacuum units, manufacturers of IGUs must, when placing them on the market, make a Declaration of Performance (DoP) and CE mark the product. By making a DoP, the manufacturer is also confirming that the IGU is manufactured in conformity with the product standard.

The requirements of the CPR for IGUs are implemented through BS EN 1279-5:2005 + A2:2010 – Evaluation of conformity and this hEN states in clause 4.2:

4.2 Conformity with the definition of insulating glass units

Products shall conform to the definition and fulfil the requirements of insulating glass units as defined in EN 1279-1.

BS EN 1279-1:2004 states in clause 5.1:

5.1 Conformity with the definition of insulating glass units 

Products intended to belong to the insulating glass system shall conform to the definition of insulating glass units.

Durability being ensured by the following:

  • the moisture penetration index, the I-value, being satisfied in accordance with EN 1279-2;
  • the edge seal strength complying with EN 1279-4;
  • the manufacturing process respecting EN 1279-6;
  • the recommendations of clause 4.4 and Annex B of EN1279-5 being followed;
  • and in the case of gas-filled insulating glass units, the requirement of a gas leakage rate according to EN1279-3 being satisfied

The issue facing IGU manufacturers is caused by the growing demand being generated by their clients, often as the result of planning requirements, where specifiers require an IGU with a maximum cavity width of between 4-8mm, often based on the planners views relating to ‘double reflection’ and with low overall edge seal sightlines. This design of IGU is usually driven by the local authority planning policy that requires replacement glazing to fit into existing windows or for replacement windows to match the existing timber section sizes. This latter requirement often limits the glazing platform width and the glazing rebate upstand dimensions in window components such as glazing bars or through astragals. These limitations are of particular importance when replacing or re-glazing vertical sliding sash windows (known as sash and case in Scotland).

IGU manufacturers have responded to this growing demand by producing IGUs using a reduced height spacer bar and also reducing the amount of outer (secondary) sealant below that recommended by sealant manufacturers. Once these modifications to the edge seal are made, manufacturers cannot use their existing EN 1279-2, EN 1279-3 or EN 1279-4 test evidence to support their claim of compliance to the product standard when making a Declaration of Performance and CE marking these units. At present, the GGF has not been able to obtain copies of any IGU manufacturer’s test evidence for these ‘Narrow cavity IGUs with reduced edgeseal sightline’.

When manufacturing IGUs, it is the IGU manufacturer’s responsibility to ensure the products being placed on the market are manufactured in conformity with the product standard and have the necessary test evidence available. If this evidence is available, it is surprising that IGU manufacturers producing this type of IGU are reluctant to provide it.

The GGF has received a number of enquiries relating to these units and their durability. In some instances these units have shown evidence of failure of the edge seal construction through condensation developing in the cavity. This failure may be attributable to either the durability of this ‘reduced sightline’ edge seal design or the method of glazing. Given these units are used exclusively in timber frames and are generally glazed using a fully bedded method, both the IGU design and method(s) of glazing may be questionable. The cause of failure may be either of the above or a combination of both.

In summary, when manufacturing Narrow cavity IGUs with reduced edgeseal sightline, existing test evidence based on an edge seal construction significantly different in terms of spacer bar dimensions and therefore possibly a reduced desiccant to cavity volume ratio and reduced sealant depth, cannot be used to show compliance of ‘Narrow cavity IGUs with reduced edge seal sightline’. The manufacturer of these IGUs must have EN 1279-2 and EN 1279-3 test evidence for these IGUs and be in possession of the sealant supplier’s EN 1279-4 test evidence showing the sealant is suitable for an edge seal of this construction. Test evidence based on a ‘standard’ construction cannot be used to show conformity to BS EN 1279-5:2005+A2:2010 and any Declaration of Performance produced and CE mark applied, has been completed outside the legal requirements of the Construction Products Regulation.

When glazing IGUs into timber frames, the recommendations contained in BS 8000-7, the GGF’s Data Sheet 4.2, the recommendations of glazing material suppliers and of course, the requirements of the IGU manufacturer, should be followed.

The GGF cannot support any IGU manufacturer producing ‘Narrow cavity IGUs with reduced edge seal sightline’ without specific test evidence being made available by the IGU manufacturer.  

How to keep your home cool in a heat wave

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window blinds open view of sunset

Feeling the heat before you’ve even walked out the door? Here are some handy tips to ensure your home stays cooler during the hot summer months.

1. Keep curtains and blinds closed

The simplest way to avoid the heat of the sun is to block it out. Close any curtains and blinds on the sun-exposed side of your home – and remember that this side may change throughout the day.

2. Avoid generating heat & humidity

When the mercury rises, it may be advisable to shelve those plans for an oven roast and opt for a cold salad instead. Similarly, cover pans on the stovetop and take shorter showers to avoid increasing your home’s humidity through the generation of steam.

3. Set trickle ventilators to the open position

With the sun’s heat dissipating at the end of the day, it’s natural to want to let the cooler night air into your home and even to leave windows open overnight.

In this case it is important to make sure security latches are set, or if you have trickle ventilators to simply verify these are in the open position – allowing cool air to flow in while maintaining the security of a closed window.

4. Use high efficiency lighting

The light bulbs in your home give off heat as well as light. Fluorescent and LED light bulbs generate significantly less heat than incandescent bulbs, so switching to these can make a real difference.

5. Open windows to create airflow

Opening windows on opposite sides of a room or your house can create a corridor for air to flow through, resulting in a refreshing breeze circulating in your home. Remember to consider the security requirements of any open windows to protect your property and possessions.

6. Investigate glazing solutions

If your home has air conditioning, insulating glass units such as double glazed or triple glazed window units can assist in keeping the air in your home cooler and minimise heat transfer from the outdoors entering via conduction. Solar control glass types are widely available if you are considering installing new windows.

7. Consider window film for your windows

Applying solar control film to your home’s windows can reduce the amount of the sun’s heat that penetrates through them and into your home. Talk to a glazing professional about whether window film could help keep your home cooler in summer.

Related topics

GGF Member companies offer a range of solutions to keep your home cooler during the summer (and warmer during the winter). Find a local GGF Member company

Home renovations can keep you virus-free as well as warm, says study

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Renovating your home can help reduce energy costs, but did you know it could improve your health too?

Roof windows by VELUX myglazing ggf
Roof windows by VELUX

Most homeowners know that by improving the energy efficiency of their homes they can achieve considerable savings on energy costs, but independent research has shown that making energy efficient home improvements such as installing new windows can also improve your health.

Renovation – just what the doctor ordered?

That’s according to a new study by Humboldt University and the Velux Group, which reveals the link between energy efficiency and health in European homes.

The Healthy Homes Barometer 2016 says that Europeans who live in cold or mouldy homes are 50% more likely to suffer from illnesses such as nose and throat infections.

Unsurprisingly, the study – based on a survey of 14,000 Europeans from 14 countries – notes that when respondents were asked why Europeans renovate their homes, the top two responses were the wish to reduce energy costs and the desire to improve overall wellbeing at home.

Modern energy efficient glazing

If you’re looking for ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, your windows could be an excellent place to start. Over the past 10-15 years innovations in glazing technology have led to significant improvements in energy efficient glazing.

This means that if the double or single glazed windows in your home are more than 15 years old, chances are that replacing them with modern energy efficient glazing could have a dramatic effect on your home’s energy use – and your overall health and life.

Discover your potential energy savings

MyGlazing.com is packed full of advice and information to help you make the right choice when choosing energy efficient windows, doors or conservatories.

Our newest feature is the GGF Energy Savings Calculator. This online tool helps you to calculate the potential savings you could enjoy as a result of installing energy efficient glazing.

Try the calculator and find out how much you could save or to find out more about the benefits of installing energy efficient glazing, contact your local GGF Member company.

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.

GGF Defends Members and Confirms Industry Position

News, Politics |

GGF and its Members have been subject to recent attacks online. The most recent appearing on DoubleGlazingBlogger by Anthony Jones, Chairman of National Federation of Glaziers.

Giles Willson, GGF Managing Director, has defended GGF Members and underlined the GGF’s work and position as the industry’s leading trade body.

See full response below.  

“Rather than engage in a public cyber squabble, we respond to Anthony Jones’ earlier post, with a few questions for Anthony with regard to his inaccurate (and bordering on defamatory) comments as well as providing some facts to help him understand the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), our work and the scope of our long standing success, as we try to continue to improve the operating environment for our Members and the wider industry.

Consumer-biased laws?
For several years, the GGF Home Improvement department and specialist groups have been working hard on behalf of the industry on consumer legislation with Government departments and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. We are therefore curious to know which “consumer-biased laws” Anthony is referring to and which GGF Member companies he feels have brought these “consumer-biased laws” upon the industry. Please can you provide this information Anthony?

Selling techniques v dishonest practice
Each company, whether a GGF Member company or not, decides on its own business model as to pricing and discounts. It is not a dishonest practice provided the trader is clear to the consumer as to what the list price is and what discounts apply. We appreciate that many in the industry have an opinion on traders which have a list price with substantial discounts available, however this practice is also common in many sectors such as automobiles, kitchens, furniture etc., and is not illegal or unethical.

GGF Members and voting
No single GGF Member or group of GGF Members “calls the shots” at the GGF. At GGF meetings when a vote is taken, the democratic policy in effect is “one Member, one vote”, so each Member company has just one vote on an issue whether it’s a large, medium or small company. However, we estimate that GGF Members do represent over 50% of the glass and glazing industry by turnover, so the GGF being the main trade body is approached by, and considered by Government, on issues of policy affecting our industry.

Such is the GGF’s strong relationship with Government departments and given the Federation’s size and scope, it is reasonable to consider the GGF as “the voice of the industry”. However to add even greater strength to our voice to Government, the GGF last year set up a new independent group in conjunction with several other trade bodies and manufacturers called The Glazing Supply Chain Group which is a forum that meets quarterly to share views and opinions across all areas of the industry and not just from GGF Members.

The GGF Consumer Code of Practice
The GGF Consumer Code of Practice formerly The Code of Ethical Practice (the name changed over ten years ago) was revised and re-launched last year to GGF Members, and is freely available for download on the GGF website https://www.ggf.org.uk/ and on the GGF’s consumer site https://www.myglazing.com. The Code has been updated, taking into account changes in consumer legislation. The GGF is currently in the process of gaining approval from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute for the new Code. It is compulsory that all GGF Members who sell directly to consumers have to sign up to the Code and if they breach it, they risk losing their membership in accordance with GGF Rules.

It would be interesting for all readers if Anthony could explain which part of The GGF Consumer Code of Practice he considers a “sham.” You can download the GGF Consumer Code of Practice here:
https://www.ggf.org.uk/publication/code_of_practice

How the GGF deals with dishonest practice
It is clear in our new Consumer Code that Members must not state inflated prices for goods and services above those of the company’s price list, then offer discounts or “special one- day offer prices” that are not true; only genuine discounts agreed by the company must be applied.

GGF Members are operating completely honestly and ethically by complying with the GGF Code. As stated before, it is the commercial decision of traders as to the pricing and business model they operate; however they must comply with the GGF Code if they are a GGF Member. As a trade body the GGF is bound by the Competition Act not to discuss pricing or pricing methods with Members. Members must however comply with the law and the GGF Consumer Code. Any Member in breach of the Code (and the GGF Rules) would face a disciplinary procedure through the GGF Finance and Membership Committee.

The status of the GGF in the industry
With our Membership comprising most of the major players and leading experts in the industry covering 35 different sectors, the GGF has naturally become the main trade organisation in the industry.

Given its position, the GGF offers its Members over 70 Membership benefits and great networking opportunities at over 200 specialist, regional and national group meetings across the UK.

Though networking is undoubtedly a very popular benefit, the GGF’s many other benefits include: solid political campaigning, unrivalled technical and health and safety information, a comprehensive library of publications and standards, consumer leaflets and support, website directories, business support and multiple online benefits such as Member company profiles on GGF websites ggf.org.uk and myglazing.com, plus the GGF digital news service and digital magazine. With so much digital development, the GGF has grown its online audience by over 400% (132,000 unique visitors in 2015) in 4 years. In the last couple of years the Federation has also enjoyed record attendances at meetings and many high profile companies in the industry have joined.

Given the quality, scale and profile of our technical publications, articles and specialist groups, it is no surprise that we are often the first point of contact not just for GGF Members but also for Government, the media, related third parties, the wider industry and consumers to answer questions and provide information on the key issues affecting our industry. Indeed, our technical content in the public domain is even referenced and used by the National Federation of Glaziers, which the GGF provides royalty free.

We are the first to admit that we are not perfect, but we do try our very best for our Membership and the wider industry to make the operating environment better for all. We always encourage any company not in Membership to consider joining and to contact us for more information about the Federation and its activities. If requested we would also happily invite interested companies to attend one of our meetings.

We trust this response will be taken in the spirit it is intended, to educate, inform and help Anthony or anyone else who may have any doubts about the position, integrity and work of the Glass and Glazing Federation, the industry’s leading trade body.

Giles Willson
Managing Director
Glass and Glazing Federation”

To visit the live blog and see comments, click here: https://www.doubleglazingblogger.com/2016/01/can-the-business-models-of-the-nationals-work-in-a-modern-fenestration-industry/ 

 

Atrium glass roof to office building glazed in London

Members News |

When birds damaged insulated double glazed glass units, approximately 2800 by 1500mm in size, weighing over 200 kilograms each and over 120 feet above London, Express Glazing Contractors were called to make safe, survey, manufacturer and supply and reglaze. This required them to organise road closures and traffic management for a crane weighing 180 tonnes to be able to lift the glass onto the atrium roof of a Government building besides Elephant & Castle, London, SE1, out-of-hours. The project required risk assessments, method statements and planning so as to go according to the client’s requirements which were all achieved satisfactorily by Express.

GGF LAUNCHES NEW ACOUSTICS PUBLICATION

News, Politics |

It may seem obvious, but the new publication defines exactly what noise is and how it materialises in its many forms. The new leaflet, explains how for example how having replacement or secondary glazing windows installed can potentially reduce airborne noise.

The Acoustics booklet also emphasizes that simply replacing or upgrading the glazed elements of a property may not provide a single solution to noise. The leaflet explains that reducing noise levels is often dependent on how noise is entering the home, the source of the noise and the type of property it is affecting.

The publication also outlines key factors to be considered when installing glazing to reduce noise such as; the types and thicknesses of glass, the size of air gaps between the panes of either a double or triple glazed window or secondary glazing system as well as covering the importance of good installation.

Giles Willson, GGF Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Technical Affairs comments “It is pleasing to see this publication released after all the hard work and expertise the GGF Technical team and our Members have contributed to its production. This new information booklet is designed not just to educate homeowners but also to help our Members handle homeowners’ perceptions and expectations on glazing and how it can help noise reduction. It is a worthy addition to the GGF Technical Library.”

A printed copy of this publication has been sent to all GGF Members and an electronic PDF version is now available for download from the GGF website publications section.

GGF

40 Rushworth Street,
London, SE1 0RB
+44 (0)207 939 9100