90 • HARDWARE&SECURITY
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A new range of
door and window
hardware
»»WHEN IT COMES TO DOOR AND
window hardware there are three vital
ingredients you need to look for – style,
performance and quality.
A lot of hardware can look stylish and
beautiful when fresh out of the box and first
fitted, but exposure to mother-nature and
the elements can leave the best looking
hardware not only tarnished in a relatively
short space of time but potentially affected
from a performance perspective.
The issue of corrosion and weathering
is a growing issue for the industry –
particularly given the increasing desire
for stainless steel hardware - and one that
hardware specialist bluTM – is aiming to
address.
Launched earlier this year – the blu™
range of high performance hardware uses
a specialist Marine Grade 316 Stainless
steel to overcome the power of mothernature.
blu™ may be a new name in the
industry but it is already making waves
in the market with over 30 new products
including contemporary door handles,
locks, double sprung multipoint handles,
letter plates and knockers through
to hinges, stays and escutcheons, all
manufactured using Marine Grade 316
Stainless Steel and able to withstand the
harshest conditions.
Whilst the name may be new, spend
a few minutes with company Director
Loren Jenner and you soon realise that
the blu™ range is built on years of industry
experience, expertise and understanding,
created to meet the growing demand for
stainless steel hardware whilst providing a
solution to the corrosion issue.
The brainchild of door and window
hardware specialists Coastal Group, the
blu™ range of design-led, residential and
commercial hardware, which can be
used across the composite, aluminium,
timber and PVCu sectors, is already
finding favour with leading manufacturers
including Kloeber and Rockdoor.
BUT WHY THE MOVE TO MARINE
GRADE 316 STAINLESS STEEL
AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
According to blu™ Director Loren Jenner
the decision to design and launch the new
range was driven by listening to the needs
of the industry and developing innovative
solutions.
“A lot of customers were increasingly
asking us for a Stainless Steel hardware
solution as exposure to the elements was
giving them repeated corrosion issues.
“One of the big issues is that
manufacturers selling to retailers have no
idea where their products will eventually
be fitted, so they were wanting a product
that was guaranteed not to fail. For those in
exposed locations where corrosion levels are
naturally high, commonly used metals such
as zinc, brass and 304 stainless steel simply
aren’t able to stand up to the elements and
corrosion can start very quickly indeed. The
end result is often unhappy customers as it
lets down the whole door,” said Mr Jenner.
The company’s research led them to
Marine Grade 316 Stainless Steel which
contains a higher nickel content providing
much greater durability against the
elements, unlike traditionally used hardware
materials such as zinc which explodes
internally resulting in white powder pit
marks and brass which tarnishes leaving the
surface looking unsightly.
The company took the Marine Grade
316 and used it as the core foundation for
a complete range of door and window
hardware combining style, performance and
quality in equal measure.
SO WHAT DOES THE NEW BLU
RANGE OFFER THE INDUSTRY?
Key benefits in addition to the styling,
attention to detail and anti-corrosion
performance include a lifetime performance
guarantee across the range, minimum
1.5mm wall thickness to give the products a
robust feel and brass fixings and ferrules to
avoid any long term fixing rattle.
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | JUL/AUG 2016
Sponsored by ASSA ABLOY
www.blu-performance.com
email [email protected]
01726 871721