6 | SEPTEMBER 2018
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
Windows of opportunity
at the Build Show
FREEFOAM DE-MYSTIFY
THE PROCESS BEHIND
THE PRODUCTS
TV Shows and online videos
about how everyday objects are
made are incredibly popular and
can be a powerful marketing tool
for many manufacturing companies
– with Lego clocking up over 6.5
million views on YouTube! Free-
foam Building Products are pleased
to announce the launch of another
new video featuring all aspects of
the production process of its fascia,
soffit and guttering products.
The video explains each stage,
right from the arrival of the raw
materials on site, through the
extrusion of pvc in the production
process to storage and distribution
of the finished product. Louise
Sanderson, Marketing Manager
explains “This film gives us the
opportunity to demystify the
process and explain simply and
clearly how our products are made.
It’s fascinating to see how we take
simple raw materials in powder
form and create a product that will
still be protecting roofs and homes
The window and door market is more
competitive than ever, with manufacturers
releasing ever-expanding product
ranges to meet demands for slimmer
frames, lower U-values, increased fire
resistance and improved security. Product
ranges that installers and independent
tradespersons must be knowledgeable
about and keep up-to-date on.
around the country in 50 years’
time.”
Freefoam have made consider-
able investment in the UK facili-
ties over the past 19 years – even
changing the skyline of Northamp-
ton with their 21-metre-high ‘Mix-
ing Plant’. The production facility
operates 24 hours a day, seven
days a week employing 92 people
on site. The video also helps to
illustrate the scale of this manufac-
turing operation and Warehousing
facilities.
Geoff Barnett, Technical Oper-
ations Manager “We’re proud of
what we make and of our site and
this video gives us the oppor-
tunity to showcase the facilities
we operate and the products we
produce.”
The Future of Construction Hub
provides an immersive opportuni-
ty to discover digital construction, Free visitor tickets are available
at www.buildshow.co.uk
Build Show. Doors, Windows and
Glass has its own dedicated sec-
tion at Birmingham’s NEC between
9 – 11 October, where global
suppliers and industry experts will
gather together to demonstrate the
latest solutions in the windows
and doors market.
View the video at: https://
www.youtube.com/channel/
UChtEpiVP9ux0YAsgl0UqdnQ/
featured
www.freefoam.com
‘Future of Construction’ 3D printing, robotics, AI and AR
and modern methods of construc-
tion. Coventry University is also
bringing its virtual reality simula-
tor used as part of its training for
construction students.
An Innovation Trail will run
through the show, providing
installers with the opportunity to
connect with manufacturers about
the solutions their innovative
products can offer.
An easy task at this year’s
Lack of guts holding back UK
innovation says MD of manufacturer
Following a period of consolidation
and unrest in the industry, smaller
firms need to show guts and embrace
innovation if they are going to survive.
The number of companies
trading in the glass and glazing
sector is falling but the average
number of frames being produced
each week is on the rise – as more
and more small and medium sized
manufacturers and installers are
acquired by larger companies.
In the current trading con-
ditions, several industry heav-
yweights are also seeing their
profits squeezed.
Compared to many of our
European neighbours, we don’t
invest as heavily in innovation and
research and development in the
UK. Part of the reason for this is
that we sometimes aren’t brave
enough to charge a premium – or
create a culture of high value - for
our products, which in turn then
allows companies to achieve the
margins required to invest more
heavily in innovation.
It’s something we’re trying to
change at TWR and over the last
few years we’ve invested consist-
ently in machinery, new products
and innovation. This has allowed
us to achieve year on year growth
over the last five years, and be-
come one of the biggest employ-
ers in the region operating over
three factories.
I believe that there is a lack
of guts in the UK amongst many
business owners. Not all of course,
but whether it’s investing in new
initiatives or looking at options
like exporting – we need to be
braver, to survive not just in our
industry but within the UK econ-
omy.
Terry Richardson - TWR
Group Managing Director