Clearview National January 2017 - Issue 182 | Page 52

ALUMINIUM

STYLISH ENTRANCE FOR MULTI-AWARD WINNING MOTORWAY SERVICES

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DESPITE BEING intentionally hidden from sight within earth-sheltered structures , Gloucester Gateway Services continues to draw attention and win awards in the architectural world , with Technal systems forming a key element to their visible face , meeting the design team ’ s aesthetic aspirations as well as offering good daylight transmission and excellent acoustic properties .
Located between Junctions 12 and 11A on the M5 motorway , the Northbound and Southbound sites were conceived by Birmingham based Glenn Howells Architects , and constructed by The Buckingham Group on behalf of Westmorland Limited . And with
AFL Architects filling the role of delivery architects , Elite Aluminium Systems Ltd has fabricated and installed a package of Technal systems encompassing MX Curtain Walling for the main elevation and FXi 65 windows .
To date , Gloucester Gateway has won the RIBA National Award 2016 together with the RIBA South West Award 2016 and the RIBA South West Sustainability Award 2016 ; as well as the RIBA South West Client of the Year Award .
Principle Architect , Glenn Howells , has hailed Gloucester Gateway as a “ game changer ” for the motorway service industry ,
and described how the buildings embody the ideals of sustainable development .
For the thousands of visitors who arrive each day , their first foretaste of the locally sourced produce on offer within is seen through the tinted glazed façade formed from Technal MX curtain walling . Here , on each building , Elite Aluminium Systems has employed the Technal MX curtain walling to produce an extended glazed wall , with the FXi 65 fenestration system forming multiple windows in back-of-house areas .
Mark Longmore of Elite Aluminium Systems Ltd said : “ There was an open specification for this important project and we primarily decided to employ the Technal MX Curtain Wall system because it could accommodate the 36 mm glazing units required to achieve the performance criteria . Due to the proximity to the motorway , the architects wanted to use two leafs of 10 mm heat-soaked toughened glass for acoustic performance – while the glass is also high performance neutral solar control , allowing clear vision whilst providing the required thermal properties .”

INSTALLER LEAPS AHEAD WITH ALUMINIUM

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DESPITE A SHARP , AND WELL documented , rise in demand for aluminium within the domestic market , many installers are still cautious about entering the world of aluminium .
Claire Miller , Customade Group ’ s Marketing Manager , explains : “ Many installers are hesitant about aluminium because , historically , it was difficult and complex to price and the lead times were painfully long . We wanted to help those installers to unlock the enormous potential of aluminium and benefit from the higher profit margins that it can bring . Our complete ‘ REAL Aluminium ’ solution delivers all the tools an installer needs to take their first steps from PVCu into aluminium .”
One installer who is reaping the benefits of the new aluminium supply model is Ross-on- Wye installer Monmouthshire Conservatory Company . Owner , Chris Atwell , says : “ Our first experience with aluminium was pretty frustrating , but sadly those lead times were typical back then . There was no better alternative , so there were restrictions on how
much we could grow the aluminium side of our business .
“ We immediately invested in Customade ’ s pricing and quoting software and this gave us complete control over our quoting for the first time . We went from outsourced pricing taking several days to being able to produce quotes instantly in-house . This had an enormous impact on how quickly we could win business .”
Customade provides all REAL Aluminium installers with a comprehensive showroom and marketing support package . It includes the 36-page luxury REAL Aluminium brochure , which is the UK ’ s only retail brochure dedicated to the full range of aluminium fenestration products . Monmouthshire has every brochure personalised with their logo and company details . Every customer that makes an enquiry or visits Monmouthshire ’ s showroom at Pengethley Garden Centre in Peterstow , receives a complete suite of literature on REAL and Atlas products .
“ Because we supply a complete portfolio of windows , doors and roofing products from one source , we have been able to cross sell to customers more easily ,” says Chris . “ Having a professional set of literature that covers every element has definitely helped us to win business because we can stir the customer ’ s imagination and show them what they can achieve on their own home .”
www . real-aluminium . co . uk
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