SECURED BY DESIGN
VEKA ’ S COMMITMENT TO DESIGNING OUT CRIME
» PROTECTING HOMES AND commercial buildings from intrusion attempts by opportunistic criminals is top priority for VEKA plc – the UK ’ s leader in fenestration . That commitment is epitomised by its successful , decadelong partnership with Secured by Design ( SBD ), the official police security initiative that works to reduce crime and increase safety for both businesses and individuals . And by the fact that it became the first systems house to secure the certification of its entire product range to the recently updated PAS 24 : 2022 security standards , for double and triple-glazed products , setting a new gold standard for safety , trust , and home security .
Secured by Design was established in 1989 and works to reduce crime by bringing police forces , developers and planners together at the design stage to include security into the built environment , such as natural surveillance and landscaping , and by encouraging manufacturers of products , such as doors and windows , to attain SBD ’ s coveted ‘ Police Preferred Specification ’.
VEKA ’ s mission and values mirror those of SBD , which seeks to improve the physical security of buildings and the surrounding area using products such as doors , windows , locks and walling systems that meet Police Preferred Specification security requirements .
The two organisations fully share the ethos of designing out crime at the product development stage .
Throughout its 10-year partnership with SBD , VEKA has led the way - encouraging manufacturers to attain independent , third-party certification , ensuring regular audits of the production process to guarantee consistency of quality .
VEKA has also worked to ensure its full range of high performing and highly secure industry-leading products meet the stringent standards required to achieve the coveted Secured by Design accreditation . These products are put through a rigorous testing process as part of that accreditation process which gives full confidence to its customers and ultimately to the households where its doors and windows are fitted .
Jack Scullion , Product and Innovation manager at VEKA says : “ VEKA has always been fully committed to designing products that offer an extremely high level of security for homeowners and commercial customers alike .
“ An important part of this commitment is demonstrating that all our systems meet the requirements of the strict Secured by Design criteria .
“ The addition of the SBD logo on our products gives our customers confidence and reassurance , at a glance , that this valued accreditation is stitched throughout the supply chain and that security is very much an important part of our agenda .”
In 2023 , VEKA also completed and passed the requirements of PAS24:2022 and BS 6375 type testing for triple glazed windows and doors – meaning that customers can rest assured that safety is at the heart of VEKA products .
“ As a result of a major piece of work we carried out last year , a big investment in terms of time and money , our highly secure systems have achieved enhanced security standards to PAS 24:2022 , which again underlines our status as an industryleading supplier ,” Jack continued .
Innovation and technology
“ To that end , as a business we remain firmly committed to SBD and furthering security standards in our industry as we progress , through both our innovation and our technology . Last year we also became the first company to get SBD accreditation for our triple-glazed products .
“ We take a holistic approach when it comes to our research and development , working to ensure that our products have both the security and energy efficiency accreditations that the industry demands , from day one .
“ It means that security , style and energy efficiency are primary concerns at the concept stage of all our new product development and remain so throughout the journey to market .”
VEKA ’ s latest innovation OMINIA is one such product that combines innovation and security . Jack explains that OMNIA has been rigorously tested to ensure it meets industry norms for security .
OMNIA is a pioneering suite of extrusions for double flush windows and doors which represents a whole new era in fenestration . Security was a major consideration throughout its three-year development phase .
Its launch in April this year followed more than three years of detailed design , planning and manufacturing work by the company , whose main UK manufacturing operation is based in Burnley , Lancashire , and is home to a workforce of 450 .
www . veka . com
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APRIL 2024
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