Pro Installer April 2018 - Issue 61 | Page 8

8 | APRIL 2018 News Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk FACTORY- PREPARED DOORSETS ARE THE WAY FORWARD CONSERVATORY FIRM TAPS INTO RURAL TOURISM GROWTH Luxury timber and glass specialist Mozolowski and Murray is benefiting from the growth in Scotland’s tourism sector, with a threefold increase in orders for bespoke dining room extensions and standalone structures. Manufactured at the com- pany’s purpose-built factory in Perthshire, Mozolowski and Murray has become synonymous with high end design and build projects throughout central Scot- land for over 30 years. With international visitors to Scotland up 21.6%* in Q2 2017, the company is seeing an upsurge of interest from tourism businesses seeking to increase accommodation and dining capacity. Mozolowski and Murray is fur- ther benefiting from commissions from new entrants into the sector, particularly landowners in rural parts of Scotland that are diversi- fying their agricultural businesses to capitalize on Scotland’s appeal as a visitor destination. Headed by Virginia Murray and Craig Hunter, Mozolowski and Murray handles the complete project from initial design to completion besides taking care of the plan- ning and building process which appeals to businesses. Speaking about the growth in business customers, Virgin- ia Murray said: “Our company has established a reputation for quality and creative design. At the initial consultation with our client we discuss fully their plans and ideas and work with them to create the perfect package. While all clients require and expect a professional build process, we take great pride in ensuring that the works are completed on time, within budget and with minimal impact on the day-to-day running of their business.” Among Mozolowski and Murray’s projects is a significant dining room extension at Fife’s four-star Keavil House Hotel. The contemporary glass and wooden structure, made at the company’s workshop in Kinross, has been designed to enhance the elegant beauty of the 15th Century traditional country house, while affording diners views on to the mature parkland surrounding the hotel. Virginia explains: “This once very private retreat has been lovingly converted and extended to com- bine all the comfort and luxury of a modern hotel with the charm of the ancient mansion. It was important to us that we designed an extension that was in keeping with the building’s rich heritage and traditional features. As a result, this design is built to last and be enjoyed for many years to come.” *Source http://www. visitscotland.org/pdf/2017_Q2_ Stats_Summary.pdf DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) has re-issued its call for the use of factory- prepared doorsets in the wake of recent findings regarding the Grenfell tragedy. It was reported that a police investigation found a number of the doors to flats in Grenfell Tower did not meet test standards and could only hold back a fire for half the time they were designed to: just 15 minutes as opposed to 30. The test was conducted as part of a Metropolitan Police review into the fire in West London which killed 71 people last June. Since the tragedy, DHF has released a number of recommendations pertaining to the need for increased fire safety in multi-occupancy build- ings such as tower blocks and office buildings and stressing the vital im- portance of compartmentation and the grave risks of getting it wrong. The Tamworth-based trade associ- ation believes that installing a com- plete factory-prepared doorset that has been tested as a complete unit, manufactured under a third-party certification scheme, installed and maintained by companies certi- fied to do so under third-party certification, provides a plethora of benefits, namely, safety, peace of mind, reduced installation time and ultimately, costs. In February, DHF produced a comprehensive guide to the benefits of ‘factory prepared complete timber doorsets’ in a bid to raise awareness of their many advantages, most importantly, fire safety. And the organisation has also urged the UK to follow Europe’s lead in providing more thorough fire door maintenance procedures, which can ultimately, save lives. “We find the results of the Metro- politan Police’s recent investigation extremely troubling,” explained DHF’s CEO, Bob Perry. “Fire doors are an integral part of the fire strategy for any building. Proper- ly installed and maintained, a fire door will achieve its specified fire resistance which could be anything between 30 minutes and four hours, depending on location, providing vital and life-saving minutes in the event of a fire. We wholeheartedly recommend the use of factory-pre- pared complete doorsets whose components have been tested together and – when correctly man- ufactured, installed and maintained by trained personnel – will meet the necessary fire safety requirements. We would also once again encour- age landlords and large housing providers such as local authorities and housing associations to be completely aware of their legal and moral responsibilities in ensuring that their premises provide protec- tion and keep their residents safe.” www.dhfonline.org.uk