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PRO INSTALLER NOVEMBER 2013
PRO NEWS
@proinstaller1
Luck of the Irish
The Irish construction industry is experiencing an upturn according to one of the sector’s
most closely watched and authoritative indicators - and leading Residence 9 (R9)
fabricator Dekko Window Systems are capitalising on the upsurge in demand.
According to the Ulster
Bank Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index, September saw the
first pick-up in the Irish
construction industry in
six years as the housing
sector gathers steam
and builders report near
record levels of optimism.
The seasonally adjusted
index, which is designed
to track changes in total
construction activity, posted
a reading of 55.7 in September compared to 49.7 in August. Panelists reported that
higher levels of new orders
and signs of improvements
in economic conditions had
contributed to growth.
Industry
report shows
real signs
of optimism
amongst
installers
A report released by the leading
installer support body the Consumer Protection Association (CPA)
has revealed an optimistic outlook
amongst installers, regarding the
glass and glazing industry and the
economy generally.
The CPA commissioned Insight Data to
carry out the extensive report, which asked
over 12,000 installers a series of questions
related to business performance and expectations for the years ahead.
Jeremy Brett, who is Director at the CPA
comments: “Overall the figures are very positive and reflect a general feeling that the
UK economy is turning a corner, and the
glass and glazing industry as well.
Jeremy went further by saying that it
was great news that over sixty per cent of
respondents believed that sales would increase in 2014, a figure that correlated with
the performance of CPA’s members.
When asked how they currently attract
new customers, 93.2 per cent of installers
said that that they did so through recommendation; with 88.37 per cent saying the
majority of new business came from their
website and 51.16 per cent said that advertising was a key way for them to attract new
business.
For more information call The Consumer
Protection Association on: 01462 850062
This resurgence has
proved good news for
Chesire based trade
fabricator Dekko. Dekko
recently targeted Irish
window companies with a
high impact direct marketing campaign promoting
its new luxury Residence 9
window and door system
– and the company won a
number of new customers
as a result.
Dekko’s sales director,
Kurt Greatrex, commented: “We’re delighted to be
working with some of Ireland’s leading installers on
some major projects.”
Call 01614060055 or visit
www.dekkowindows.com
Validated conductivity values
for warm edge spacers
There have been a number of articles and letters in the
glazing trade media claiming that the responsibility for
testing warm edge spacers now lies with the European
Warm Edge Working Party. This is incorrect at present.
The European Warm
Edge Working Party is
run by Bundesverband
Flachglas (BF) a trade
organisation made up
of flat glass manufacturers, spacer bar manufacturers and others.
It is the leading authority in this field and
receives technical input
from organisations
such as IFT Rosenheim
and the Multi-Pane
Insulating Glass Quality
Association.
Working with the European
Warm Edge Working Party is
a proposal from BFRC, which
was to have become effective
January 2014, but might now
be delayed because BF has
changed the criteria it uses to
undertake these tests.
This proposal has always
needed to be agreed and
accepted by the majority
of warm edge spacer bar
manufacturers. Discussions
are continuing, in fact most
manufacturers attended a
meeting about exactly this
subject, hosted by the GGF,
on 27th September.
‘long-term
agreement ...
will save the
manufacturers
both time
and money’
The reasons BFRC proposed this route are that
the European Warm Edge
Working Party uses the
most currently relevant tests
and has the support of the
majority of manufacturers.
All European spacer bar
manufacturers, and some
from outside Europe, are
voluntarily members of this
Working Party.
Until this proposal becomes effective, BFRC is
only asking manufacturers
to use BF Datasheets “where
possible” and will accept
data from other accredited
sources, providing they are
fully compliant with BS EN
10077-2:2012.
“BFRC is striving to establish a level playing field and
a fair and accepted method
to calculate conductivity
values,” commented Chris
Mayne, BFRC, Managing
Director.
“This is a highly complicated subject within an
extremely competitive and
commercially sensitive market. If the BFRC can lead
the sector to consensus and
long-term agreement it will
save the manufacturers both
time and money.”
Once agreement has been
finalised, then BFRC will
make an announcement.
For further information,
please contact: Lis Clarke,
BFRC, tel: 0207 939 9120,
email: [email protected]