Clearview National December 2015 - Issue 169 | Page 54

DOORS&WINDOWS

Often Imitated, Never Equalled
Alistair Inglis, UK Sales Manager for illbruck,talks to Clearview about
the way the company has invested to meet changing market needs.
»»As a long-established manufacturer with an
international reputation and a comprehensive product range, illbruck
has now reached the point where it has produced enough impregnated
tape to circle the planet three times over; an achievement that is in
sharp contrast to some products and the companies producing them.
It is a fact that, in order to combat increasing extremes of weather
caused by climate change, the glazing and facades sector has moved on
from its reliance on ‘silicone only’ fixing systems and now employs more
advanced impregnated tapes and compatible technologies to provide
good weather resistance and control air permeability.
illbruck not only offers premium product and service performance;
the company has achieved strong growth despite the tough times
experienced by many parts of the construction industry.
Contractors realised that they could not afford to make mistakes in
sealing and bonding, and so opted for a proven solution. In addition,
they turned to us because we had invested in the UK market by training
our staff, and gained the certification they were seeking for peace of
mind.
A fit-and-forget solution was ideal for the recession and is even more
relevant now that contractors are so busy. No one wants to go back to
jobs to do remedial work.
Unfortunately, some manufacturers have entered the market with
products which lack the depth of research and development or third
party testing which underpins our offering.
In a bid to raise awareness and standards, we are represented on
various technical committees of major trade associations thereby
influencing where sealing guidelines could be improved to raise some
of the standards in building construction, especially in terms of weather
and air tightness.
We are totally committed to the UK market and have accelerated our
investment in testing and certification. For example, we have a range
of BBA certifications which we feel are crucial to giving customers
confidence when using the products. It is in areas like this that we lead
the way and show we are prepared to invest in supporting our products
and systems.
In addition, to developing advanced product technologies, we are
also keen to explore and support their integration into new sectors: for
instance offering housebuilders the opportunity to benefit from systems
previously confined to commercial contracts.
As an example, our A-Rated Windows campaign which was
launched last year and showcased at The Fit Show, helped bring
home the message to the domestic contractor and OEM producer. In
essence, the communication centred on existing, common ‘siliconeonly’ fixing practices proving inappropriate for the high-technology,
A-Rate windows being specified to meet Part L Building Regulation
requirements. As a result, we are now starting to make real inroads into
the domestic windows market.
One of the major differences between illbruck and its competitors is
the level of service and technical support on offer. Our people are our
main asset and are on site every day. Quite often, they have worked
with the architect to specify a solution and they are then on site to talk

54 » dec 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

through the solution with the sub-contractor; they give ‘tool bo [