Hardware & Security Articles
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With new Part F ventilation regulations due to come into force this year, Carl F Groupco, reviews the standard for fabricators and installers. As part of The Future Homes Standard 2021, a government led project aiming for a 31% reduction in CO2 by June 2022, there have been updates to Part L, F and O building regulations. At the time...
Is the national media wrong to inform the public about blow torch attacks and lock snapping? Nick Dutton argues that the Mirror, the Sun and BBC Morning Live did the right thing in educating the public about the prevalence of lock snapping and why sometimes it takes shocking realities to trigger us into doing something that needs to be done. ...
The bathroom market in the UK saw demand explode during 2021, which helped drive the specification for high quality, German-made components. Bohle’s Dave Broxton believes this change in consumer behaviour shouldn’t come as a surprise. What will be concerning for many companies is if this shift in demand can’t be met by the current inventories. “We worked closely with our...
We talk to Avocet’s managing director, Dr Sachin Saigal, who discusses demand during the pandemic, hints at what to expect for the FIT Show and suggests that diversification will be key once consumer demand starts to return to normal. With the 2022 FIT Show a matter of months away, Avocet Hardware Group is looking towards the show with anticipation, and...
During turbulent trading conditions, we all need a reliable supplier who doesn’t compromise on quality. We catch up with Michael Hewitt, sales director of AT Precision. In a trading climate that has been plagued by supply chain issues, labour shortages, material supply and price increases on an almost weekly basis, it’s every business’s objective to reduce costs while maintaining high...
By UAP. The government has introduced Approved Document Q: Security, Dwellings in 2015, statutory Building Regulations guidance that outlines the standards required for doors and windows. To comply with Document Q, doors installed in new homes must pass PAS 24 testing, a rigorous testing process that requires the fully finished door, including all hardware and locks, to withstand attempts to...
The entrance door market continues to evolve as homeowners personalise their doors. Kerry Blackford, head of product at ERA, explores the revival of heritage style entrance doors and the latest products and finishes. For homeowners, achieving real kerb appeal is more important than ever before. Where once the interior of a property presented itself as the main opportunity to embrace...
In the fast-growing smart technology market, demand for smart home security is booming. But some smart locks aren’t as clever as you’d think, says Nick Dutton, CEO of Brisant-Secure. With almost 4,000 smart products on sale in the UK, and almost half the population owning four or more smart devices, it’s clear there’s widespread demand for smart products in smart...
Window and door smart home technologies are going to need to offer more to secure consumer buy-in, according to Emplas. Smart home tech is dominated by the entertainment sector: according to The State of the Connected Home 2021 report by techUK, smart TVs, speakers and personal devices continue to dominate the smart tech sector. Things, are, however, starting to change....
Huw Williams, commercial director of ERA’s parent company Tyman UK and Ireland, looks back at the last 12 months to discuss some of the biggest issues faced by the industry, and what we’ve learned as we move into 2022. It’s safe to say that this year has created some extremely difficult challenges for the entire window and door industry; every...
Simon Monks, MD of VBH, gives an example of how customers benefit when hardware and profile suppliers work in partnership. As one of the largest and longest serving hardware specialists in the business, we are often asked to work alongside companies from other aspects of the window and door industry to develop hardware products. Having our own greenteQ hardware brand,...
By John Crittenden, managing director of Carl F Groupco. I’d like to congratulate the 19 fenestration companies with their ‘united front’ open letter, and their approach to the current unprecedented and unrelenting challenges that we as an industry have faced since March 2020. As an independent hardware distributor of leading manufacturer brands, Carl F Groupco has always been at the...
By John Crittenden, managing director of Carl F Groupco. I’d like to congratulate the 19 fenestration companies with their ‘united front’ open letter, and their approach to the current unprecedented and unrelenting challenges that we as an industry have faced since March 2020. As an independent hardware distributor of leading manufacturer brands, Carl F Groupco has always been at the...
Window Ware’s managing director Sam Nuckey discusses why the company is looking forward to ensure that current volumes are sustainable when things get back to normal – and why it has a strong foundation to build upon. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of talking about record sales months and, judging by the continuing increased orders volumes, I won’t...
By UAP. Managing the complex phased construction of multiple buildings as part of the same development is always demanding, particularly in prestigious locations like Canary Wharf. Ensuring that management of the built assets is efficient throughout the lifetime of the development is equally important and, at a current mixed-use development across 32 buildings in Canary Wharf, the key control strategy...
By Nick Dutton, CEO of Brisant Secure. Supply problems disrupt business. They can even stop it dead. Recently, the shortage of HGV drivers was one of the factors that led to a limited supply of fuel, which caused chaos across the UK. Globally, supply chains are failing. China is facing an energy crisis: Goldman Sachs estimates 44% of China’s industrial...
When selecting hardware to complement your doorset portfolio, you need to be confident that the products will not let you down and will enhance the overall offering. Ideally they should be safe, reliable and high-quality, performing exactly the roles required of them on your doors. Ultimately, the reputation of your business depends on the correct product selection. By Yale. Yale...
Danny Openshaw from UAP discusses the role of the humble window restrictor in ensuring windows offer family-friendly safety. With UK temperature highs topping 32º this summer, windows up and down the country have been flung open to let fresh air in. The problem is an open window can also be a health hazard. RoSPA figures indicate that around 4,000 children...
By Marco Verdonkschot, managing director at IronmongeryDirect. As the number of jobs available in the UK climbs to over one million for the first time since records began, the number of vacancies in the construction sector has also reached its highest ever level, with 37,000 listings between June and August. This is an increase of 2,000 from May to July,...
The problem of disappointing hardware – of finishes that pit and peel – has scarred the industry, says Nick Dutton, CEO at Brisant-Secure, who offers a solution. Homeowners take pride in their front doors: no-one buys a front door with gleaming hardware to look beautiful for just two or three years. People expect their new door to age gracefully and...