Annual Predictions
“ We are in a much better place ”
NEIL EVANS , MANAGING DIRECTOR , VEKA PLC
» LAST YEAR , EVERY TIME I SAW A wagon loaded with orders , I felt a surge of pride at what we were achieving during incredibly difficult trading conditions . The lessons of 2021 mean we are in a much better place to deal with challenges I believe our industry will continue to face in 2022 . Accessing raw materials , rising costs , and a growing shortage of skilled labour will all require sustained levels of planning , preparation and perseverance .
VEKA is already spearheading initiatives around tackling the ever-widening skills gap .
We are among the first businesses to sign up to the national Building Our Skills campaign , which aims to raise the profile of careers in fenestration , glass and glazing . And planning is under way to further expand our apprenticeship programme .
An increasing consumer focus on sustainability means that environmentally responsible solutions will also prove vital . Misgivings over the quality of recycled content are now a thing of the past , and we will be significantly ramping up the
number of materials we receive from our sister company VEKA Recycling .
www . veka . co . uk
ATTRACT THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND START TO BRIDGE THE SKILLS GAP
SHAUN MACALLISTER , DIRECTOR AT GQA QUALIFICATIONS
» I BELIEVE QUALIFICATIONS ARE very important . They are better for the individual , better for the employer and better for the customer . They help to drive up standards in the fenestration industry generally . Quite honestly , we ’ ve got to be mindful of how other industries attract young people through formalised training schemes and career paths carved out via qualifications .
Youngsters need to be able to see the availability of a clear career path so that they can perceive the fenestration industry as an attractive career proposition . They also need to be made more aware of the sheer breadth of roles available in this industry too . Building Our Skills is doing well in promoting this .
It ’ s the SME , regional retail sector that is really struggling to attract the right people to the fenestration industry , but I predict that if companies in this sector offer the right training and qualifications , they are more likely to win out . I am hopeful that in 2022 we will start to see meaningful achievements in bridging the skills gap .
www . gqaqualifications . com
Sources : https :// www . statista . com / forecasts / 997845 / smart-home-device-ownership-in-the-uk
Enhance a home ’ s performance
GED RYAN , CEO OF HOPPE ( UK )
» “ LAST YEAR , 18 % OF HOMEOWNers in the UK had smart home devices for building safety and security . I think 2022 will see people more widely adopt smart home technology and fully embrace the trend of automating everyday items that can enhance their home ’ s performance .
“ Automating products doesn ’ t just make life easier , it offers improved user comfort , increased safety , and greater efficiency . HOPPE ’ s latest smart handle , the eHandle HandsFree for doors , allows homeowners to unlock their front door just by moving their foot , or another object , through a spotlight on the ground .
“ The communication between a small transponder , which can be stored in a pocket or bag , and a control unit uses AES encryption to provide much greater security than a conventional key . It can tell which side of the door the transponder signal is coming from and the detection radius for the wireless signal is just one metre , which provides additional protection for the communication . We ’ ve also put safety functions in the system to ensure only authorised people can open the door and that it can ’ t be accidentally unlocked .”
www . hoppe . com
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM JANUARY 2022
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