16 | JUNE 2019
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
‘MAJOR BLACKHOLE’ ON THE HORIZON
FOR UK CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE
According to new research from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the UK construction industry
is set to face a major labour crisis, with the loss of over 500,000 workers over the next decade.
across the UK. Despite the ageing
workforce being a long-term issue
for the industry (a 2011 study
estimated that one-in-five workers
were over 55), very little has been
achieved in addressing the sizea-
ble skills gap.
“The skills shortage is by no
means unique to construction, and
is felt heavily in the fenestration
industry too. Without question,
now is a pivotal time for business-
es to really invest in finding and
nurturing younger talent, not just
to ensure projects are completed,
The findings, which form
part of the Labour Force survey,
equates to a quarter of the total
construction workforce in the UK.
It points to the high age demo-
graphic of the industry with many
of those workers expected to re-
tire during the next 10-15 years.
Speaking on the findings, Alex
Tremlett, Operations Manager
at Insight Data comments: “The
findings of the ONS report will
undoubtedly make for sober read-
ing for construction companies
CAMDEN PROUD WINNERS
OF THE MANUFACTURING
AND INNOVATION AWARD
Camden Windows and Doors has
been crowned with the ‘Manufacturing and
Innovation Award’, at the Made in Northern
Ireland Awards 2019.
The awards recognise and reward manu-
facturing companies based in Northern Ire-
land that have demonstrated success in in-
novation, product development and growth
in either domestic or overseas markets.
The Made in Northern Ireland Awards
showcase many of the high-quality manu-
facturing businesses in the region.
The Manufacturing and Innovation Award
is for the company that has generated a
substantial financial return and impact for
an innovative product or process designed
and manufactured.
The judges commented: “Camden’s Inliten
profile system has been singled out for inno-
vation in its sustainable manufacturing pro-
cesses. They were impressed with the idea of
remaking waste material into other products
for sale which has created revenue for the
company and also for the company’s commit-
ment to the environment and recycling.”
Roy Harrison, Camden Group Sales
Manager, said: “Everyone at Camden Group
is incredibly proud of this award as it
represents a lot of hard work, creativity
and commitment to the business. Camden
Group is continually innovating, designing
and developing even better-quality products
for our customers. We never stand still, so
it’s onwards and upwards to growing the
business further and providing more em-
ployment opportunities in the area.”
The Camden Group is the market leader
in manufacturing and supplying PVCu win-
dows and doors in the UK. Based in Belfast
for the past 36 years, while its success
speaks for itself it is still striving to continu-
ously improve its extensive range.
but to ensure they have the skills
to handle new innovations and
new technology shaping future
construction.”
Matters are made worse with Brit-
ain’s exit from the European Union,
and the potential end to the free
movement of EU citizens to the UK.
Whilst this could help retain skilled
UK-born workers, it also means
companies cannot rely on labour
from the continent plugging any
skills gaps in the workforce.
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Two ‘zero landfill’ years in a row
CMS Window Systems
has maintained a zero waste
to landfill rate for the sec-
ond year in a row, ensuring
it continues to lead the way
in the re-use and recycling
of waste collected through-
out its manufacturing and
installation operations.
The company, which is
one of Scotland’s leading
designers, manufacturers
and installers of PVC-U
and aluminium windows,
doors and curtain walling,
pioneered the concept of
closed-loop windows and
doors more than 13 years
ago by establishing com-
prehensive in-house waste
recycling facilities alongside
its manufacturing opera-
tions. This ensures all its
waste materials can be fed
back into the manufacture
of new products with ease
in line with the key sustain-
ability goal of creating a
circular economy.
In the latest 2018-19
reporting period, CMS’s
recycling facilities received
2,806 tonnes of post-use
windows and doors – tim-
ber, PVC-U and alumini-
um frames – which were
In-house recycling
facilities at CMS
Window Systems,
which play a key role
in the company’s
ability to divert
100% of waste
away from landfill.
dismantled and separated
ready for collection, along
with its manufacturing
waste, by specialist recy-
clers. So effective are these
processes, that CMS is now
sending 97% of its waste
away for recycling and the
remaining 3% is going for
use in refuse-derived fuel
(RDF) and waste-to-energy
(WTE) facilities.
Where possible, recycled
materials become part of
new windows and doors
fabricated by CMS. In the
case of its glazing, a part-
nership with Saint-Gobain
Glass enables new double
glazed units to contain 38%
of post-use recycled glass –
an industry leading level.
www.cmswindows.com