Clearview National June 2016 - Issue 175 | Page 16

INDUSTRYNEWS OPT IN TO FREE ENERGY RATINGS »»TO OPT IN TO FREE FENSA window and doorset energy ratings, installers need to be supplied by British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) licensed fabricators. Not all of them are. In a survey of the first 300 installers to opt in, 39% said they would be persuading their existing suppliers to sign up. “FENSA was inundated with opt in enquiries at The FIT Show from certified installers wanting to sign up to free FENSA window and doorset energy ratings,” commented FENSA, Managing Director, Chris Mayne. “It’s a simple process for FENSA installers – the only requirement being that they are supplied by BFRC licensed fabricators. Those that aren’t can persuade their existing fabricator to sign up to BFRC.” Chris added, “FENSA will work with installers to get their fabricators on board.” The ratings are free for FENSA certified installers and were launched in January. The scheme is voluntary. All installers have to do is opt in, agree to the rules and be supplied by a BFRC licensed fabricator. These new window and doorset energy ratings are operated and independently verified by BFRC. It is exactly the same as the existing BFRC scheme in terms of ratings, ratings bands, licence scopes and windows and doors covered. Labels provided will cover windows and doors rated ‘A++’ to ‘G’. The only difference is these new labels are branded FENSA and will have their own marketing support. They will be marketed heavily at consumers in the second half of 2016 to raise awareness and drive consumer demand. Existing BFRC authorised retailers can quickly and easily switch to be a FENSA Authorised Installer by emailing BFRC and opting in. Opting in has a number of benefits. It makes a product easier to sell because homeowners understand and recognise energy efficiency labels, installers get their own labels, and it is the simplest route to Part L compliance. Installers also get consumer publicity support and a listing on the BFRC website – a first port of call for homeowners searching for energy efficient products. Installers are able to source glass and frames separately and there are further opportunities to upsell along with technical and marketing advice. The opt in process for FENSA certified installers is to email the operations team on [email protected] with their company name, registration number and name of their fabricator supplier. FENSA will do the rest. Fabricators wanting to sign up should contact BFRC at [email protected] or telephone [phone] A record year for customer deliveries Celebrations have been taking place at Hurst Plastics as the company’s transport department toasts a record year for customer deliveries. »»THE DEPARTMENT, which has grown by 25% in the last four years, now delivers more than 95% of Hurst Plastics’ products throughout the UK on its own fleet of vehicles and has also smashed its target of 98% for on-time in-full deliveries. Jon Brake, Hurst Plastics’ Transport Manager, said, “Our 16-strong delivery team notches up more than 1.6 million miles a year delivering our composite doors and door panels up and down the country. We have operated our own fleet for some years to maintain reliable deliveries.” Hurst has improved on its track record for deliveries since introducing its sophisticated fleXipod system, which provides customers with accurate, real time information on their scheduled deliveries. Hurst’s fleXipod system seamlessly integrates with the company’s Hurst Live package a complete solution that provides 16 » JUN 2016 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M customers with essential, live information on every single order they place. Hurst Live’s intelligent technology enables customers to easily chart the real time status of their order, from order processing through to manufacture and onto delivery. In conjunction with fleXipod, it even captures essential delivery recipient information, including a signature for proof of delivery. Scott Chapman, IT Manager at Hurst Plastics, adds, “We have invested heavily in a string of fantastic technological advances in recent years and I’m delighted that this commitment is paying dividends.” Hurst runs a fleet of 16 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans and has plans to expand the fleet within the next year to cater for increased demand. The business is also investing in a state-of-theart route planning system. www.hurst-plastics.co.uk