Responding to extreme weather

By NewPlas

There’s no denying that 2018 has been a year of extreme weather. The early part of the year saw the UK plunged into chaos as the ‘Beast from the East’ raged across the country. Temperatures plummeted and snow engulfed land, high and low. However, after torrents of snowmelt at the start of the year, gutters and downpipes sat idle as the mercury soared and the country experienced its hottest summer on record. There were many days with recordings above 30ºC somewhere in the UK.

Showery rain across the country in the last few days of July ended more than 50 dry days at some south-eastern weather stations, while June was particularly dry across most of England, with less than 10% of average rainfall in parts of the south east.

The expansion and contraction caused by these acute changes in temperature and dry conditions may well impact performance, with cracks and leaks appearing as autumnal showers give way to winter. And with seven of the wettest years (since records began in 1910) recorded in the last two decades, extreme rainfall is inevitable in the coming months.

That’s why NewPlas is encouraging fabricators and installers to consider rainwater and roofline products as essential elements for their portfolio.

With 20,000ft2 of warehousing, NewPlas stocks everything from window finishing trims to ridge back architrave and cladding. Add to this an extensive roofline range complemented by high-quality rainwater systems, and the building products supplier is an attractive proposition for those wishing to develop and strengthen their offering.

The Derby-based business has been supplying independent plastic stockists with PVC building products for over 10 years, yet the company’s flexible ordering process makes it an ideal fit for fabricators and installers.

NewPlas breaks bulk, enabling customers to order what they need, when they need it and with very low minimum order quantities. With NewPlas, customers can run a just-in-time business by taking advantage of straightforward pricing structure, stock items, wide product range and national delivery network.

With extreme weather systems set to become the new ‘norm’, it poses a real opportunity for those wanting to break into the home improvement market or offer a complete package.

NewPlas has an extensive range of low maintenance rainwater products with complementary roofline items for domestic applications. Its standard guttering is easy to install with a range of colour match fittings. Available in a choice of four designs – half-round, square, ogee and deep – the guttering has a high gloss finish in a choice of five colours.

With a 10-year guarantee on most colour options, the standard rainwater system is Kitemarked. For traditional properties, NewPlas also offers a cast-iron effect system – a PVC alternative without the associated weight or expense of cast-iron.

Yet, it’s the company’s SuperDeep 170 range that promises to make a real difference to a fabricator/installer product portfolio. The high capacity guttering system is designed for commercial buildings and any structure with a large roof area. With a market-leading flow rate of 4.3 litres per second, SuperDeep 170 has a large reservoir and is designed to move water rapidly into and down 100mm or 110mm down pipes. It’s the ideal solution for heavy, erratic rainfall and large quantities of snowmelt. In fact, each fascia bracket can support over 125kg. With tough, thick walls the system has been designed with a white core to reduce heat absorption – crucial for dramatic changes in temperature and long periods of sunshine.