Industry News
OPENING DOORS: EXAM RESULTS ARE IN FOR
ASPIRING ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERS
» » NEWLY QUALIFIED ARCHITECTURAL
ironmongery professionals are celebrating
their Guild of Architectural Ironmongers
(GAI) education programme results.
Exams were sat in 26 different countries
by 390 learners. So far, 101 students have
attained the Certificate in Architectural
Hardware (CiAH) and 51 students have
now completed the GAI Diploma this
year.
The Guild’s education programme
continues to grow overseas with exams
held in three more countries than last
year, and 49% of learners based outside
the UK. This year there has been a
particularly high number of learners in
United Arab Emirates (UAE), China and
India.
Rachel Tipton, manager of the GAI
education programme, said:
“As the only recognised programme in
the world that leads to a qualification in
architectural ironmongery to British and
European standards, the GAI
Diploma gives ironmongery
professionals all of the skills
they need to form a compliant
door hardware schedule –
skills that will stay with them
for their entire career.
“We look forward to celebrating
with all of the newly qualified Diploma
holders and everyone who has supported
them through their qualification will get
to celebrate with them at the Education
Awards in London on 7 November.”
The Guild’s education portfolio is
separated into two qualifications. the
CiAH consists of two stages with 24
education modules, supported with eight
block assessments.
Once this has been completed, students
can enrol for the GAI Diploma; focussing
entirely on the skills and learning
needed for scheduling the architectural
ironmongery, electric hardware and key
control for a project, and is of
particular importance to those
architectural ironmongers
working on projects being
built to UK and European
standards across the globe.
Once they have completed the
Diploma, they become a DipGAI,
an industry recognised symbol of
professionalism.
The 2019/20 education programme
prospectus outlines the qualifications,
course content and training support
available, and gives further information
on becoming a Registered Architectural
Ironmonger (RegAI) through the
Continued Professional Development
(CPD) programme.
Enrolments are open
from 2 September until 20 December
2019. Download the prospectus from
the GAI website: www.gai.org.uk
UK manufacturing investment
» » WITH BRITAIN’S MANUFACTURING
industry reporting all-time lows in outlays
amidst Brexit uncertainly, Yale is bucking
the trend by investing heavily.
According to a survey by industry
trade body EEF, investment by UK
manufacturers in new plant and
machinery slowed to 6.5% of turnover
from 7.5% in 2016 . This is a trend that has
continued into 2019, with uncertainty over
the UK’s exit from the EU holding back
planned investment in many cases.
Yale Door and Window Solutions,
however, continues to invest in UK
manufacturing to the benefit of its
customers. The company has continued to
invest in automation at both its Willenhall
and Cheltenham sites, allowing it to bring
product manufacturing back to the UK
from overseas.
The move brings with it the close quality
control measures that Yale prides itself
on. With both sites accredited to EN ISO
9001:2015 for quality management, the
sites will contribute to the rising quality
standards in UK industry.
Yale is also in the process of expanding
its warehouse to 254,008 ft 2 , approximately
four times the size of the previous building,
and moving it to a more UK central location
to help provide best-in-class services, all in
time for winter 2019.
As well as these investments, Yale is also
introducing a new CRM system across the
business that will enhance customer service,
communications and account management,
improving the customer experience.
Paul Atkinson, Sales and Commercial
Director of Yale Door and Window
Solutions, comments: “There are multiple
benefits to manufacturing in the UK;
being closer to the market we operate in
means we are able to respond to customer
requirements and fluctuations much
quicker.
“There are also research and development
benefits for our customers when it comes
to new products. For example, we recently
announced that we were upgrading to
stainless steel on all of our multipoint lock
faceplates as standard, with the whole
manufacturing process taking place solely at
our Midlands head office.
“We also see a benefit in supporting the
local and UK economy; by maintaining and
growing manufacturing at our Willenhall
and Cheltenham sites we believe this will
help contribute to the UK job market.
In a similar vein, Yale is proud to be an
official member of Made in Britain, which
aims to bring together the entire British
manufacturing community.”
www.yaledoorandwindowsolutions.co.uk
SEP/OCT 2019
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