Pro Installer February 2016 - Issue 35 | Page 58

58 FEBRUARY 2016 PRO INSTALLER PRO BUSINESS www.proinstaller.co.uk GLAZERITE WINDOWS ARE TOP OF THE CLASS Bellerive FCJ Catholic College in Sefton, Liverpool, has a new lease of life thanks to the addition of 94 bespoke PVCu vertical sliders, manufactured by Glazerite’s dedicated specials production facility in Wellingborough and installed by Network VEKA member, K2 Aluminium, in Birkenhead. The substantial project, managed by Cunliffes Construction Consultants, posed a number of demanding challenges not least of which was the fact that the 170-year-old school is in a conservation area. As such, a key part of the extensive renovation was to convince local planning authorities that it would be possible to produce a modern, energy efficient PVCu window that could successfully mimic the appearance and style of the school’s existing timber items – many of which had become so dilapidated, that they could no longer be opened. After an initial technical consultation to provide feasibility, specification and wind load calculations for the proposed frames with system supplier, VEKA, Glazerite Window’s North West Division, based in Bolton, submitted a sample window featuring knifed corner joints, a deep bottom rail and run through horns that was duly approved by the planning department overseeing the scheme. The installation at Bellerive was made all the more complicated ‘they had to reproduce the period features’ due to the sheer size of some of the windows, which also included a variety of twin sash, triple sash and arch designs, as well as the time constraints put in place in order to minimise disruption for staff and pupils at the school itself. K2 Aluminium’s Liam Bird said: “The planning officer not only wanted the replacement windows to replicate the original timber appearance but they had to reproduce the period features as well. “It was a difficult project for a number of reasons, such as ensuring that we protected all the original internal timber works, but the end result has not only helped to improve the appear- ance of such an established school, but provided a much better environment for its pupils to learn in as well.” www.glazeritewindows.co.uk Swish customer scoops awards Lumi g rows with £200,000 machinery boost Swish fabricator Building Product Solutions (BPS) has won two major awards – one regional and one national. Both awards were presented to recognise the 50% growth in turnover that the company enjoyed over the previous 12 months. At the end of October, 2015, BPS won the Business Growth Award at the Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards organised by the local chamber of commerce. The company, presented with the award in front of 500 guests, was also highly commended in Apprentice of the Year and Manufacturing Excellence categories. BPS sales director Lynne Darwin, also shortlisted for the Business Person of the Year in the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, said: “The judges recognised our increased turnover and our increase in staff from 24 to 65 over 12 months.” Lynne was also named in The Manufacturer’s Top 100, and singled out as an exemplar. She said: “We offer a one stop shop and control manufacture of everything. Our software helps us track projects from initial drawings right through to completion, and our customers return to us because we have this specialist knowledge.” BPS specialises in the new-build sector and has a client base that includes the top ten house builders. The company currently supplies 1,000 windows a week using the Swish 24/7 system to 164 sites within a twohour drive of its base in Rotherham. www.buildingproductsolutions.co.uk Apeer, creator of the Lumi seamless window system, has invested a further £200,000 in specialised machinery to keep pace with growing demand for its radical innovation. Lumi was an instant show-stopper when it was launched in May at Grand Designs Live, London, after two years in development and an investment of £500,000. Now, with orders flowing in and a UK-wide installer network almost complete, Apeer is adding a further major investment to strengthen and speed up production. The Lumi manufacturing process is carried out in a separate production plant at the Ballymena location with a new factory already in the pipeline. The company says the new equipment will enhance the main manufacturing processes and increase efficiency and quality control as well as ensuring the capacity to meet future demand. Linda Tomb, Marketing Manager for Apeer, said: “We put a great deal of money into developing Lumi based on our initial market research and we have been delighted with the reaction since the launch. Now that it has earned such acclaim from trade and homeowners alike, we are more than happy to invest in it even further. “Lumi is our first venture into window manufacture but it is already shaping up to be a significant part of our output. With this additional investment we ‘delighted with the reaction since the launch’ are confident we are fully ready to meet the demand that we expect from this exciting project.” The Lumi system is the latest range from Apeer, which also includes its traditional, contemporary and the ultra-contemporary modo composite door collections. www.apeer.co.uk