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Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell considers ways to steady the ship in rough seas. Some market data, such as that released by Insight Data, points to significant areas of concern in the coming six months or so. Separate to the issue of available work, and the worry that it may dry up come the end of the furlough scheme (which...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell welcomes a change of pace. It is not news that would, in a normal year, be greeted with relief, but some of the heat is coming out of the market, according to the latest Business Pilot Barometer; we like to be busy and boast a full order book, but we don’t want our processes to...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell reports on the closure of the former Premier Trade Frames site. The UK Window Group has ceased production at its Caerphilly fabrication plant (previously Premier Trade Frames) as part of a longer-term and planned strategic restructuring initiative, the company has announced. “We have roles available at our Treorchy plant and we will be engaging with...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell reflects on a tough couple of months at Veka. The job losses at Veka are going to create mixed feelings. However, I can’t help feeling a sense of relief. Veka went through the wringer quite publicly earlier this year as key customers collapsed leaving it severely exposed. It was never on my list of vulnerable...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell turns the pages of the industry’s favourite trade magazine. This week, we are dedicating our weekly newsletter to some of the feature articles that will be published in the August issue of Glass Times – and which should have already landed on your desks. This is only a small selection of what can be found...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell highlights some recent positive developments. I’m happy for a line to be drawn under the Green Homes Grant scheme. However, it is worth highlighting a view from Certass’s Jon Vanstone that some good could have come from it. “There is no reason to be negative,” he said. “We now have our knees under the table...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell asks if the government’s latest announcement was worth the wait. So, we finally have the details of the government’s much-heralded Green Homes Grant scheme. Was the wait worth it? In the government’s defence, it was trying to kill several birds with one stone: energy efficiency; economic stimulation; job creation; consumer confidence; and the promotion of...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell reports on a round table discussion that reached some interesting conclusions. The glass and glazing industry should expect current inflated order volumes to last until Christmas, according to a round table discussion that took place online this morning (July 30). Ryan Johnson (managing director of Emplas), Thom Emerson (sales and marketing director of Ideal Window...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell provides a quick update on the government’s latest green initiative. Glazing is included in some form within the Green Homes Grant scheme, it has been confirmed – albeit unofficially – by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Jon Vanstone, chair of Certass, has been in discussions with the department, and he updated...
Glass Times editor reports on the fallout from the government’s recent Green Homes Grant initiative. The government’s Green Homes Grant, announced on July 8, looked such a great idea. I wrote about it for last week’s newsletter that same day having read all the pre-announcement briefings. And I stand by what I said, which was (in summary) that many companies...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell welcomes news that the government will be offering a financial stimulus to boost the green economy. The double glazing industry has arguably been propped up in recent years by those households that have a significant disposable income, rather than being reliant on high volume window replacements; that window and door replacements are less about need,...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell considers the effects a supplier withdrawing support can have. The rumours regarding the Customade Group had been circulating for a number of weeks, so it came as no surprise when, last Friday night, a statement appeared on its website saying that it had been bought out of administration by private equity group Nimbus. I duly...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell explains how you can help support a deserving charity while giving yourself 10 chances to win a fantastic prize. One sector that has reportedly suffered more than most during the recent coronavirus pandemic and ensuing lockdown is the charity sector. For many organisations that rely on regular interactions with the general public – think about...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell discusses Veka’s decision to cut jobs. The news that Veka is preparing to cut staff numbers is a sobering piece of news. There’s no way to sugar-coat the fact that this is largely due to the effects of the lockdown brought about the coronavirus pandemic. It is a simple equation: businesses stop generating money; bills...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell says G21 will be back bigger than ever. The fact that the G-Awards have been cancelled this year shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the news does cause some disappointment. Industry events – especially the big ones like the G-Awards – act like supporting pillars, keeping the big glass and glazing structure aloft. So, when...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell looks at the importance of software in life after lockdown. I think what the last three months has taught me, more than anything, is how important the relationship with the installer is. I know I run the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, but that relationship is essentially key to getting the industry moving after...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell welcomes non-coronavirus news. It’s refreshing to publish headline news unconnected to the coronavirus pandemic; and even on a normal news day the acquisition of Synseal assets (via Aperture) by Profine is significant news. The German systems house had not made any secret of the fact that it was looking to build a UK extrusion home,...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell looks at support available for companies wanting to resume operations. Last week, after writing this leader, I sat in on an online webinar hosted by Business Pilot. There was a structured element to it where representatives from Everglade, Origin and Aluco shared their views and experiences, but there was also the opportunity for window installers...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell welcomes the green light to return to work. So much can happen in a week. Looking back at what I wrote seven days ago, we still had the lockdown mentality, but today heralds a new dawn: window installers can resume work. Seventy percent of the glass and glazing industry’s work is generated by the retail...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell argues that returning to work appears daunting, but we have the tools at our disposal to. I like to think of myself of a glass half full kind of person, and during these last six weeks I’ve been looking for the silver lining. Once thing that has caught my attention – and everyone else’s it...