News
6 | JUNE 2018
News
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Edgetech helps manufacturers adapt to changing industry at China Glass
Globe-trotting Edgetech has returned from a highly successful showcase at the 2018 China Glass exhibition , one of the biggest events in the glazing industry calendar .
Weather and Carillion cause Construction downturn
Weather disruption and the demise of Carillion resulted in a mixed performance for the UK construction supply chain in the first quarter of 2018 according to the Construction Products Association ’ s Construction Trade Survey for 2018 Q1 .
The latest research found that although activity continued to increase for main contractors and SME builders , there was a smaller proportion of firms reporting a rise . Additionally , civil
Visiting Shanghai from the 19th to the 22nd of April , China Glass draws glazing professionals from across Asia and the wider world to see the latest cutting-edge products , and discuss the key trends and developments reshaping the industry .
This year , the show captured a snapshot of an industry in transition , as Daniel Zhang from Edgetech ’ s dedicated agent in China explains :
“ The glazing market is changing rapidly – particularly here in China . We ’ re seeing rising demand for energy-efficient products , and for higher-end , better-performing products in general . What ’ s more , like their European counterparts , Chinese manufacturers are showing more and more interest in automation .
engineering firms reported a second consecutive fall in workloads and heavy side product manufacturers ’ sales , a leading indicator of structural and groundworks , fell for the first time in five years . On the upside , more than one quarter of firms surveyed expected orders , enquiries and product sales for the year ahead to remain positive , although contractors reported that orders were concentrated in the housing and infrastructure sectors . Combined , these
“ This year ’ s China Glass reflected that – and at Edgetech ’ s , our market-leading spacer products received a huge amount of attention . We showcased the flagship Super Spacer , the TruPlas rigid bar , and a large curved IGU made with our premium commercial-grade product TriSeal , which seemed to particularly impress visitors .”
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sectors account for over 35 % of total construction output .
Commenting on the survey , Rebecca Larkin , Senior Economist at the CPA , said : “ The industry ’ s run of growth was halted by a quarter that combined the liquidation of Carillion and the snow disruption in February and March . Encouragingly , order books throughout the supply chain suggest activity will pick up again throughout the year .”
COUNTRYWIDE UPVC INSTALLS 88 PROFILE 22 VERTICAL SLIDING WINDOWS IN A PRIVATE APARTMENT BUILDING IN MERSEYSIDE
Westcliffe Court is a prominent private apartment building in Southport , Merseyside . It had been built with soft wood framed sash windows but its location near the sea meant the frames were wearing badly and needed to be repainted every three or four years – an expensive undertaking for the building ’ s residents . When the windows ’ seals started to fail too , the building ’ s management company sought a more thermally efficient PVC-U alternative .
Because the building is in a conservation area , any changes to the exterior of the building needed to be approved . The local planning department specified that vertical sliding windows with a white woodgrain finish needed to be used and stipulated they needed to feature mechanical mortise-and-tenon joints rather than a welded 45 degree joint . The building ’ s management company researched alternatives and selected Profile
22 and approved installer , Countrywide UPVC in Ormskirk .
Countrywide UPVC worked closely with Westcliffe Court ’ s management company to secure the necessary planning permission . They were supported throughout by Profile 22 ’ s Specification Manager , who completed all the designs for the windows and attended both residents and planning department meetings , with samples , making a complicated process run as smoothly as possible .
Planning permission was successfully secured and installation began in 2016 . Countrywide UPVC ran the schedule of works to suit the residents , working from flat to flat rather than from one side of the building to the other . The work ran extremely smoothly and all installations were completed by February 2017 on time and on budget .
www . profile22 . co . uk