Hardware & Security Articles
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By Andy Holland, technical and marketing manager at Rapierstar. Designing and manufacturing fit-for-purpose fasteners that deliver on their promise is a complicated business; from a fastener’s pull-out strength and driveability to its corrosion resistance and structural strength, its design has to tick multiple boxes in terms of performance, otherwise it could be the cause of a door or window failure,...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell visited Maco’s head office in Sittingbourne to discover why the company is investing heavily in its UK operations. Maco celebrates its 20-year anniversary in its Sittingbourne-based site this year, which underpins a solid commitment to the UK by the family-owned firm. While Maco boasts a manufacturing heritage that goes back to 1947, when its first...
By Sarah Gyde, marketing director at Mila. When it comes to marketing in our industry, I would argue that nothing beats getting hands-on with our products; fundamentally, most of us are selling ‘stuff’ which customers want to be able to see and feel for themselves before they part with their hard-earned money. Whether that’s trade, retail or commercial customers, even...
By Toby Staff, managing director of Newstar Door Controls. As a supplier of widow restrictors, I always check out what’s been installed wherever I am. So, you can imagine my shock when I stayed in a hotel run by a large hotel group in Torquay over the summer to see a standard plug chain, washer and screw fitted as a...
Paul Atkinson, sales and commercial director for Yale, discusses how enhanced security guarantees, new security product developments, and household brands offer an often untapped competitive advantage to the retail salesperson. As we enter the winter months, opportunist thieves ramp up activity, according to the crime statistics. This may be attributed to the earlier onset of nighttime with the darker evenings...
Simon Monks, managing director of VBH (GB), says should the worst happen, homeowners want to feel protected by a guarantee that does what it says on the tin. Crime figures are regularly disputed, but one thing that can’t be disputed is the effect on victims; burglary has a much bigger impact than just the financial value of any items taken....
It’s that time of year when the home security message is hammered hard by hardware and security experts. With good reason, says UAP. Last October, ahead of daylight-saving time coming to an end, Co-op Insurance reported home theft claims increase by over a third (34%) in winter months, with Friday the day most likely for theft to occur. According to...
Yale is about to launch a new smart lock in the UK with no levers, and is at an advanced stage of development with sensors in regular hardware for windows and doors. Paul Atkinson, sales and commercial director at Yale, explains that since £10.8 billion will be spent on smart home devices in 2019 in the UK, now is an...
Giovanni Laporta, inventor of the Smart Ready certification standard, explains why smart has to be simple to appeal to the masses, and how to tell the difference between the smart products that are gimmicks and the smart products that are here to stay. As the window and door sector gets more serious about smart, with more companies offering up solutions,...
By Sarah Gyde, marketing director at Mila. Mila announced at the FIT Show that we had become the exclusive distributor of Mighton’s Avia smart lock into the UK trade market, and we are now supplying the product from stock. Long before smart windows and doors were voted as the ‘next big thing’ by 76% of those attending the Glazing Summit...
By Maco. Smart technology has captured the UK fenestration industry within the last 12 months. The rise in sensor technology has certainly increased with multiple offerings on the market and many more to come that can be integrated during fabrication or installed later by the property owner. However, should smart windows and doors be considered an integral part of a...
John McLoughlin, research and development manager at UAP, explains the thoughts and processes behind its latest product: an electronic smart locking system, launching under the Fullex brand in January 2020. We have seen an abundance of smart lock developments in recent months, many of which are based on the same type of idea. At UAP, we have been involved in...
From the Apple store-esque Smart Ready stand through to the multiple software as a service (SASS) providers that exhibited, FIT Show 2019 reflected a movement towards smart home technology and smarter manufacturing processes and systems. FIT Show event director, Nickie West comments on the growth of technology at the show. There is no denying the fact that FIT Show 2019...
Bhavik Dabasia, technical director at Everglade Windows, explains why being an Ultion Smart launch partner was so important. Smart technology: it’s literally everywhere. When you wake up in a morning and check your phone. When you see if the heating is on at home for when you get in from work. When you ask Alexa to play your favourite song...
Much has been said about the opportunities for fabricators and installers brought about by smartware. After all, it is estimated that this market will be worth £300 billion worldwide by 2020. But just what do these opportunities look like, and what should fabricators and installers be looking out for from smartware suppliers? Tania Tams, ERA’s head of marketing, sheds some...
By Carl F Groupco. When it comes to connections, hardware distributor Carl F Groupco has strong partner relations which form the backbone of the organisation. Relationships with leading manufacturers play a pivotal role in the company’s service commitment and the ongoing advancement of its comprehensive catalogue. “We are on the cusp of a major electronic evolution in the UK’s fenestration...
Nick Dutton, CEO of Brisant-Secure, talks about the ‘smart bug,’ as consumers immerse themselves in a 21st century digital way of living, and how these new product technologies are making our lives easier, irrespective of age. Five years ago, homeowners, developers and interior designers had to spend £tens-of-thousands to create a smart home. These homes were the domain of the...
Emplas signed up as a launch partner to Avantis at the beginning of the year, opting for a ‘bridging product’, which creates a platform to up-sell, without introducing additional complexity. By John Leary, sales director at Emplas. Are UK homeowners ready for smart technologies in home improvement? Industry leaders have invested £thousands in the development of a range of smart...
Andy Holland, technical and marketing manager at Rapierstar, highlights why poor fastener choice exposes aluminium windows and doors to corrosion risks. Most of us will think of aluminium windows and doors as being the ultimate choice for superb visual appeal, long-term performance with no maintenance and resistance to the harshest of weather conditions. But while aluminium does not ‘rust’ –...
By Mike Rushen, Winkhaus UK sales director. Responding to continuing growth in the UK aluminium sector, Winkhaus offers a comprehensive and expanding range of locking solutions for both aluminium windows and doors across all market sectors. From standard lift lever to automatic locks, the Winkhaus range includes options for residential, communal, bifolds, and double entrance doors. Thoughtful design has ensured...
