News
Read online at www . proinstaller . co . uk
MAY 2023 | 21
News
ALWAYS OUR OPEN DAY OF CHOICE
It will come as no surprise that we get invited to quite a few open days and events here at PRO Installer . On the invitations , there is always the promise of exciting launches and lunches , tours and talks , demos and displays , giveaways and goody bags . For all the PRO Installers that have been reading about CWG Choices in this very magazine over the past year ( since we first met MD Chris Powell and his team at one of their famous open days , in fact ) you ’ ll be thinking that a CWG Choices open day offers all of that and more , due to its vast range of products , knowledgeable staff and eye for innovation . For anyone that ’ s had the pleasure of attending one , you ’ ll know that ’ s the case . This was PRO Installer ’ s second trip to Corby for one of the prestigious events , and we certainly weren ’ t disappointed either …
It would take a whole magazine to review everything we saw at the CWG Choices open day , so as we were lucky enough to sit down Chris in between his meet-ups with customers ( the whole team were available across the two days to sit and have a chat over a coffee , show us round , and tell us everything that was going on ) I asked him to ‘ give us the headlines ’ and here were his top three takeaways from the event …
TIMBERWELD
Readers of PRO Installer will know all about TIMBERWELD at CWG Choices – the RESI- DENCE door and window system constructed to look truly like timber with both the outer frame and sashes using TIMBERWELD technology – only CWG does both . It looks like timber , but has all the beneficial qualities brought by PVCU – strength – rigidity – weather seal and wide range of colours . As we arrived at the Corby site on the first day of the open event , the first frame from the brand new ( one of two ) Haffner Murat CNC machine had come off the line . The result of a £ 1.1M investment and taking over the unit next to existing plant , has doubled CWG ’ s capacity . We got a personal tour of this , and it truly is impressive .
KUBU
Over the past year , in partnership with CWG Choices , PRO Installer has reported many times on the fantastic benefits of Kubu .
Kubu Smart Sensor Technology is in full use and standard on all Kömmerling O70 and C70 products . Kömmerling windows – residential doors – Alternative to Timber doors and Solidors are all prepared ready to accept KUBU technology and so produce ‘ peace of mind ’ to all those of us who like to be sure that our homes are secure .
At the open day , we attended one of the Kubu workshops with a room full of CWG customers and to see the product in practice and hear all about the innovation that goes into the system – and see it in action – is a real pleasure . It is quite remarkable that something so simple to use for the homeowner , and easy to sell and fit for the installer , has such complex design and detail . Kudos to Kubu for that , and I highly recommend finding out more about the product and its own three-tiered Pro Installer scheme ( nice name !) if and when you get a chance .
PRACTICAL DEMOS
Representatives from up and down the country were on hand , full of information ( and those all-important freebies ) from AluK to Window Widgets . One that really stood out was the KONIG UK stand showing how to effect wax repairs ; with a truly fantastic tool kit of coloured waxes to remove minor marks and scuffs from foil finishes – an irritation so many installers have to deal with .
For me , the in-house Choices Online demo of the ordering and quoting system was second-tonone . I sat in with a customer who uses a similar system but to get a front seat to watch the ‘ back end ’ of this software – with the man who designed and built it ! – really was a privilege and absolutely fascinating . Thank you Pete !
CWG Choices is the UK ’ s largest door and window manufacturer to the trade , and its open days really focus on the customers themselves . As ‘ press ’ it is always more insightful to attend an event that is catered towards the customer ( no pun intended on the refreshments , although the breakfast bap and hot beef sandwiches also looked to be going down a treat !) rather than press or even the homeowner .
CWG Choices has all the choice when it comes to product , it has the manufacturing capability and capacity , it has the technical expertise and innovation when it comes to processes and progression – but Chris and his team have also found that way to communicate all of this with its customers .
It was clear to see from the customers there , that the annual event is a useful – almost essential – date on the calendar to find out what ’ s happening , get new information , seek advice and learn new skills . The Pro Installer team certainly did ; and it ’ s the best goody bag we ’ ve picked up from an open day in a long time . See you next year !
www . cwgchoices . com