New MD at SGG
Saint-Gobain Glass UK has announced two key management changes.
[Read the Rest Here]

New curtain walling system
Metal Technology, in partnership with Panel Systems, has developed System 17 Cassette curtain walling, a flush-glazed facade.
[Read the Rest Here]

City centre landmark
Reynaers Aluminium developed and supplied a bespoke curtain walling system for Eleven Brindleyplace, a landmark new building in the centre of Birmingham, which represents the final piece of Argent Group’s renowned Brindleyplace development.
[Read the Rest Here]

Building progresses
Installation of 6,000m2 of Wicona unitised curtain walling is now well underway as part of the construction of a 32-storey tower, which will be Sheffield’s tallest building. The £5m façade contract is being delivered by Solaglas Contracting in partnership with Wicona Projects.
[Read the Rest Here]

New hybrid from Everglade
Everglade has launched Harmony, a new hybrid window.
[Read the Rest Here]

Secure choice
Comar Architectural’s 5P.i VSW has just passed BS7950 enhanced security for windows.
[Read the Rest Here]

Fabricator alliance established
A new trade alliance of window fabricators, which manufacture in aluminium and PVC-U, has been established.
[Read the Rest Here]

Plus point
ERA Security Hardware Solutions has launched the Vectis Plus multi-point door lock into the UK fenestration market.
[Read the Rest Here]

New ownership for Carl F
Tommico (owners of Groupco) has bought Carl F Petersen, after Danish group Sanistaal sold some non-core operations.
[Read the Rest Here]

Anchor Trust in Mila
Mila Maintenance has just completed a nationwide contract to fit safety restrictors on all of the opening sashes in windows at care homes managed by Anchor Trust to eliminate any ongoing risk to its residents from open windows.
[Read the Rest Here]

‘LouvreSol Expands Product Range’
LouvreSol SP has introduced a new range of products to supplement its solar shading portfolio.
[Read the Rest Here]

New efficient glass
AGC has launched Planibel A, a new energy efficient glass for the UK market with a high performance, low-emissivity hard coating specially developed to perform to the highest ratings within the WER scale from C to A, without the need for edge deletion.
[Read the Rest Here]

Dorma on tour
Dorma’s Showbus has been touring the UK and Ireland during 2009 to demonstrate a wide range of door controls, automatics, and glass products.
[Read the Rest Here]

Taped up
Iso-Chemie has launched a new aluminium tape for sealing joints in building and industrial applications
[Read the Rest Here]

In the gutter looking up

That’s it, the wait is over – we have crawled out of the recession.

News has emerged this week that the economy grew by 0.1% in the last three months of 2009. Talk about just scraping by! However, it is growth nonetheless.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that projects are going to start flooding in and that profits are going to skyrocket; that 0.1% is going to be influenced by many businesses which were not affected by the economic downturn, and many companies in our sector are still going to be operating at a loss – and could still possibly fail.

Furthermore, I think construction will lag behind the rest of the economy – it will take time for the funds to work their way down the supply chain. However, after watching the economy contract form six consecutive quarters, growth, however small, is welcome.

It also needs to viewed together with other data. For example, last week unemployment fell for the first time in 18 months, and Glenigan has predicted an increase in private sector confidence [Read the Rest Here] I also received news this week from machinery supplier, Wegoma, that small to medium sized fabricators are showing increased interest in investing in machinery, and that they are making decisions quicker than before.

“Manufacturers are deciding what they need and just getting on with it as they recognise the need to concentrate on their businesses to maintain levels of productivity – and ultimately profitability,” said Wegoma’s managing director, Alex Main.

It will be good to reach the middle of this year, and not have our every waking hour dominated by the sluggish economy. If we are chained so inextricably to historical economic patterns, at least we have the fortune of being at rock-bottom, and the only direction is now up!

Nathan Bushell

Missed last month's Aluminium in Architecture Ezine? It's here

CHIEF EXEC'S COMMENT Chief Executive’s comments – Justin Ratcliffe CAB previews the year ahead Despite what the pessimists predict we may find that 2010 is like 2009 in that it turns out to be not quite as bad as everyone feared. While we limp out of recession by a whisker a focus for our sector will be on the conveyor belt of regulations, standards and best practice issues which will absorb large quantities of both industry time and media interest. Read the Rest Here: THIS MONTH'S NEWS Bad weather could cost £230m The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is warning that the cost of a single day of employee absenteeism because of the freezing winter conditions could be at least £230 million. [Read the Rest Here] Recovery hampered by snow Bad weather in December forced construction project starts to be postponed, with snow forcing further delays and making for a difficult start to 2010. The Glenigan Index recorded a 9% year on year decline in December, making it the poorest month for construction project starts in recent years. [Read the Rest Here] GGF’s new president Phil Brown, Pilkington’s regulatory marketing manager, has been appointed president of the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF). [Read the Rest Here] Web support Materials testing, analysis and consultancy firm Ceram has boosted its web offering to customers in the refractories and associated high-temperature industries with the launch of a revitalised website that provides expanded industry-specific services and a large resource of reports, white papers and guidance documents. [Read the Rest Here] G10 exhibitions’ ‘value for money’ Exhibitors at this year’s G10 Regional exhibitions will receive a furniture and electrics package as part of the price of their stand, plus increased brand visibility via a new website. [Read the Rest Here] Getting political New figures suggest that more candidates with business and finance management experience are putting themselves forward as prospective MPs because they are disillusioned with existing enterprise policies. [Read the Rest Here] Presidential support USA – Following President Obama's speech detailing the need for nationwide energy-efficient home improvements, the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has high expectations that a newly proposed government program will encourage consumers to invest in energy-efficient windows by applying appropriate criteria for these products. [Read the Rest Here] Electric Avenue Former commercial sales manager and architectural advisor Neil Doe has founded Avenue Five, a consultancy designed for building envelope specialists. [Read the Rest Here] Sting in the tail? The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is cautiously welcoming the government’s concessions to small businesses over pension reform. [Read the Rest Here] Designs on a new database Insight Data has launched a new database containing full contact details of more than 15,000 architects and specifiers, helping their clients break into the commercial market. [Read the Rest Here] The future of accounting is online Online accounting the future of finance management, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) and CreditPal have said. [Read the Rest Here] Quantal’s largest The recent introduction of Vision 3000 composite windows and doors by London-based Glas Facades, means that specifiers no longer have to compromise between natural light and thermal performance in a building, the company has announced. [Read the Rest Here] Commercial door update Senior Architectural Systems has recently updated its commercial door systems to accommodate a wide range of specialist hardware to cater for most main entrance requirements, including electronic security devises and automatic door systems. [Read the Rest Here] Caldwell bearing gifts New Trojan Group sash lock will be exclusively stocked by Caldwell, the vertical slider hardware company, from this month. [Read the Rest Here] Dow Corning reaches new heights Dow Corning silicones helps to protect the Burj Khalifa super skyscraper from the harsh desert climate and promote its energy efficiency. [Read the Rest Here] Optimum use of aluminium and composite systems Specifiers material options for windows, doors and curtain wall systems have never been broader. The specifier can choose between the main framing materials of aluminium, timber, PVC and steel or opt for a growing number of composite systems of various materials. [Read the Rest Here] Raised glasses for Solaglas Solaglas Contracting has announced the following contract wins in November 2009 [Read the Rest Here] Seniors at Ecobuild Senior Architectural Systems and ModCell have teamed up to offer a carbon negative approach to the future needs of educational buildings. [Read the Rest Here] GGF saves energy for government advice The GGF recently reported to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). [Read the Rest Here] Shhh, project taped up ISO-Chemie’s impregnated foam tape ISO-Bloco 600 has been used to provide a high performance weather seal on the new extension at Manningham Family and Community Library in Bradford. [Read the Rest Here] Fully-integrated bi-fold door offer Quantal has unveiled its new bi-fold door offer, launched to complement the aluminium conservatory roofing company’s bi-fold reinforced eaves beam. [Read the Rest Here] Curtain wall transformation The external elevations of a dated, 33-year-old, three-storey office building in Harrogate have been transformed by Structura UK, in a phased 40-week contract worth £2.5m. [Read the Rest Here] Gold – always believe... UAS – Designed and built to achieve LEED Gold Certification through the US Green Building Council, the 260,000ft2 property, 901 K Street, fills a unique, triangular-shaped space in Washington, DC's office landscape, both in its design and location. [Read the Rest Here] Shutters Interg8-ed in Kensington development Security shutters from Charter’s Charter-Integr8 range have been installed in prestige residential property in South Kensingto [Read the Rest Here] Healthcare CPD The launch of a RIBA-approved CPD on specifying windows for the healthcare market is the latest focus on this specialist sector from architectural aluminium systems supplier Kawneer. [Read the Rest Here] Towering in London Titon has supplied http://www.titon.co.uk/pages/about-us/what-we-do/titon-aluminium.php Sobinco’s Chrono Invisi tilt-and-turn gear as part of the refurbishment of Millbank Tower, one of London’s iconic landmarks. [Read the Rest Here] Dedicated test centre Hydro Building Systems has opened a new dedicated test centre for its Wicona brand of facade products – one of the first energy neutral industrial buildings in Europe. [Read the Rest Here] Healthy project Beaufort’s Advanced Plus aluminium system and approved fabricator, Midland Window Group (MWG), recently carried out work on Avonside Health Centre in Warwick, which features a striking Anthracite Grey aluminium frame facade, incorporating automatic entrance doors and over 80 windows fitted with grey solar control glass. [Read the Rest Here] Tornado storms awards The Tornado Tower in Doha, which features extensive use of Wicona unitised curtain walling, has won a major global award. [Read the Rest Here] Reynaers at Ecobuild Exhibiting for the first time at EcoBuild 2010, Reynaers Aluminium will be showing Airmax (a parallel opening window), Eco 75 (a window and door system), and the Rey-cycle SWMP (Site Waste Management Plan) initiative. [Read the Rest Here] New area sales manager Tim Plant has joined Mila Hardware as the area sales manager for the South West region. [Read the Rest Here] Walking tall in Bridlington Gutmann’s Aluminium Timber Clad Systems ‘Braga’ was the system of choice for the refurbishment of Ebor House in Bridlington. [Read the Rest Here]

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CAB Diary Dates 2010
A round up of upcoming events in the CAB calendar can be found on this following page:
More Here:

Music to the ears
Curtain walling, windows and doors from Kawneer have helped to make the new foyer to the south-west’s leading music venue a stunning destination building in its own right.
[Read the Rest Here]

Quantal’s largest
Quantal supplied its roofing system to the largest ‘Luminatrium’ (large unique glazed building) project in the world.
[Read the Rest Here]

First for schools’ programme
One of the first schools to be completed in Bradford’s £400m Building Schools for the Future programme features facade systems from architectural aluminium specialist, Technal.
[Read the Rest Here]

College refurb
Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems, and its approved fabricator Alimatic, have recently completed a full refurbishment project to provide a whole new building envelope to Collingwood College, Camberley, Surrey.
[Read the Rest Here]

Seniors supports BaleHaus
The BaleHaus at Bath University is fabricated from a straw panel system know as ModCell. The experimental building, which has now been commissioned, is being rigorously tested by the university to determine its suitability for our future construction needs.
[Read the Rest Here]

Moving with the tide
The architects of the new headquarters of Cathelco – a designer and manufacturer of marine corrosion control equipment – has specified Schüco’s systems.
[Read the Rest Here]

Shutters protect luxury home
Charter Integr8’s security shutters have been installed in the £1m redevelopment of a prestige residential property overlooking London’s Richmond Park.
[Read the Rest Here]

Keeping St Helens Cool
LouvreSol SP is helping St Helens College to be a ‘cool’ place to be. The campus in the town centre is undergoing some major changes currently to provide new and improved facilities for students.
[Read the Rest Here]