Clearview National January 2020 - Issue 218 | Page 73

AL UMINIUM
Launching in March 2020, Sheerline® is set to revolutionise the way aluminium
windows are made, installed and sold says Garnalex CEO Roger Hartshorn.
Aluminium, but not as you know it
» AFTER DECADES OF PVC-U
dominating the residential window market,
aluminium is on a roll. Over the past 15
years residential aluminium sales have
grown steadily thanks to the popularity of
aspirational bifolds and large, slim sliders.
Around 50% of installers now sell at least
some aluminium and most see this trend
continuing to grow.
Like these installers, I think aluminium is
the future.
So when I started to look at the aluminium
sector, I was surprised at how little investment
there’s been since the 1970s and 1980s. In
contrast to PVC-U windows, which have
been transformed in looks, performance
and delivery, not much has changed with
aluminium. Aluminium windows and doors
look much the same, and are fabricated
and installed in much the same way as they
were decades ago. Viewed with my technical
background, I’d say aluminium has had an
innovation bypass over the last 30 years.
However the biggest shortfall I see is in the
levels of service and support, where PVC-U
leaves aluminium standing.
REINVENTING ALUMINIUM
We established Garnalex in 2018 to address
this and to transform the entire customer
experience of aluminium. Our aim is to start
an aluminium revolution by reinventing
the way aluminium windows are fabricated,
installed and sold.
We’ve recruited the best technical, design
and production brains in the industry
and invested over £9m in a state-of-the-
art aluminium extrusion facility to ensure
that quality and service are built into our
foundations. That’s the first big difference with
Garnalex. Most aluminium systems companies
buy-in aluminium profiles and components,
while we manufacture both. We aim to have
full control over the products we sell, so we
can offer unparalleled levels of reliability to
our customers.
We’ve been sharing images and videos of the
factory as it’s been coming together over the
last few months on Twitter and LinkedIn, but
it’s hard to show the true scale of the factory
and the level of investment if you’re not
walking round it.
For example, as part of our commitment
to sustainability, we’ve invested in our state of
the art SMS HYBREX aluminium press which
uses up to 55% less energy than a traditional
press. This 170 tonne behemoth uses 9-inch
aluminium billets to produce up to 4 tonnes
of extruded aluminium an hour.
We’ve also totally integrated manufacturing,
logistics and SAP with our in-house GarnerSys
software for improved efficiency, leading to
higher quality and outstanding service. That’s
another difference. With a clear focus on quality,
Garnalex was recently accepted to join ‘Made
in Britain’, an organisation that recognises
excellence in manufacturing and promotes
British-made products across all sectors.
CHANGING THE WAY ALUMINIUM
IS MADE, INSTALLED AND SOLD
Our technical and design teams have spent
the past 18 months studying aluminium
windows and doors. They examined
everything from performance and looks to
how products are extruded, fabricated and
installed. They even looked at fabricators’
experience of service and customer support to
develop a new window system, and the service
that supports it, from the ground up.
The result is Sheerline®, a next-generation
window and door system that’s been
engineered for performance, looks, ease
of manufacturing and installation - and
service and delivery. Sheerline windows and
doors are designed to be easy to install and
a dream to sell. We’ll be telling you more
at our March launch, but fabricators and
installers who’ve seen it say Sheerline is
#TheFutureOfAluminium.
You may have received a letter and postcards
inviting you to our Sheerline Ambassador
Workshops. We’re hosting a series of
workshops from early 2020 to give fabricators
and installers the opportunity to meet the
team, see our state-of-the-art factory and learn
more about this truly innovative system. The
response has been instant and phenomenal
- we’ve had well over 120 RSVPs in the first
couple of weeks, and the invitations haven’t all
gone out yet.
Fabricators and installers who want to be
the first to sell it can register their interest
in Sheerline Ambassador workshops by
emailing [e-mail],
calling 01332 883960 or registering online
at www.sheerline.com/contact
C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » J A N 2020 » 73