44
JUNE 2016 PRO INSTALLER
PRO PRODUCTS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
PULLING OUT THE
STOPS, ROTO HOLDS
ITS UK PRESS DAY
Pulling together trade publications from across the industry, German manufacturer Roto held
its first of many press days in the UK on 13th June at the exclusive Ricoh Arena, Coventry.
The day and evening event,
which kicked off with an
introduction from Western
European Managing Director,
Mike Piqeur, and saw editors
attending from many of the
industry’s top named trade
magazines, alongside Roto’s
sales and technical UK and
European based staff.
Mike went on to advise the press
of the changes that had taken
place in the UK in recent years up
to the present day and introduced
Vese Nenye, newly appointed
Business Development Manager
for the UK and Ireland. He commented on Vese’s role to enhance
and promote the company’s new
and existing range of products and
to implement strategic service level agreements with all its network
of dealer partners.
Mike also talked about the company’s global presence and how
the UK market is still an exciting
proposition for Roto in-terms of
new product development and
the introduction of the recently
acquired PN business and its products to the company’s range.
Recognising that European and
other Global markets require different products, Roto has looked
at a full range of UK specific products, which set to add value to the
fabricator and installer, this has
come about from its bi-annual customer survey. They have identified
customers require products which
are easy to fabricate and install
and offer a less complicated way
of selling to the general public.
‘Me too’ products are not an option for Roto, and Mike explained
how they have been investing
to develop products which meet
industry and production standards, not just now but also for the
future, commenting:
“We have been working with
customers to achieve higher
performance standards for our
products to give an installed window or door. Testing and approval
has taken place of many of our
new products for example our
new Inowa patio door product, to
achieve the upcoming European
Commission’s ZEBRA2020.
“Zebra2020 focuses on tracking
the market transitions to nearly
Zero-Energy Buildings (nZEBs)
to derive recommendations and
strategies for the building industry
and policy makers and accelerate
the market uptake of nZEBs.
“The guidelines associated with
this policy form the heart of Roto’s new and existing product development, as we believe whatever happens across the globe, the
push towards building sustainable
homes will continue to grow and
we want our products and our
customers to be ready,” explains
Mike.
The day continued with a presentation on one of Roto’s not-so
high-profiled range of products;
the DST roof window. Sales
director, Simon Cox who is based
solely in the UK, talked the press
through the business and how
the division of the company had
been in the UK for the last 8 years
promoting the system to installers
across the fenestration, building
and commercial specification
market.
Roto’s Roof windows are
designed to give the user maximum comfort and ease of access,
without compromising or obscuring their view. The windows are
delivered into the market ready to
be installed.
Sold through merchants and distributors throughout the UK, Roto
DST offer customers full training
for the installation and maintenance of the windows, even going
out and helping to install on the
customer first fitting. With an easy
to use and unique ‘Click’ system
around the flashing, the windows
can also be fitted by just one
person.
The most popular of designs
from the range comprises of a
top-hung and a top third pivot
window. Both have their own
unique benefits to the end-user dependent on their desired
choice.
Simon commented: “Our roof
windows are produced in our
award winning factories in Germany, carefully assembled to the
highest level of performance and
quality. Because of their ‘Intelligent, but Simple’ fit design, they
are a useful addition for installers
to add to their product of portfolio.
“We offer a variety of support to
our customers; advice on fitting,
training, specifying the window
and a ream of internal technical
data through our technical support
team. The products can add a new
dimension to a h omeowner’s property, and as more and more the
market shifts to fitting conservatories with solid roofs and roof
extension, the Roto roof window
is a very good and competitive
product to have in an installers
tool box of products.”
The day’s presentation finished
off with the demonstration of a
number of the company’s new
products, including Fastio - an automatic opening door system, with
low threshold access and useful
for domestic and multi-entrance
applications, a range of hardware
products from the newly acquired
PN – including hinges and tilt and
turn hardware and of course a
display of the Roto roof window
designs, styles and colours.
At the close of the day, all staff
and Editors were treated to good
old fashioned German hospitality
and entertained with a meal, wine
and access to the Ricoh’s exclusive
on site Casino.