The importance of partnership
As ERA celebrates its 185-year anniversary, Kerry Blackford, senior category manager, discusses the importance of partnership and collaboration between fabricators and component suppliers to ensure the industry’s continued growth.
Higher security and comfort standards continue to play a significant role in the development of door and window fittings for the UK’s fabrication market.
To achieve the successful introduction of new products in response to changing legislation, consumer preferences and advances in technology, collaboration between hardware suppliers and door and window manufacturers is crucial.
Investment in engineering
That’s why we have recently undergone a significant restructure of our engineering department to ensure we provide fabricators with best-in-class design, service, and product support across our ever-expanding portfolio of security hardware and decorative furniture, in addition to our extensive bespoke manufacturing capabilities.
The department now comprises three complementary workstreams, including application engineers, product design and development, and engineering project management, with each team working in tandem to design and manufacture high-performance hardware for timber, aluminium, PVC-U and composite.
This includes the evolution of existing product ranges, the creation of ground-up designs, and the development of bespoke products that meet specific customer applications.
An example of this is the significant investment we have made in the development of our residential door hardware to support our fabrication partners in meeting the Door & Hardware Federation’s latest technical standards, without having to compromise on aesthetics.
By understanding the exact requirements of fabricators, our engineers were able to develop a certified suite of high-security door hardware for timber, composite, aluminium and PVC-U entrance doors that comply with TS 008, TS 007 and TS 003, whilst reflecting the latest design trends.
By creating a certified suite of high-security solutions that are compatible with a variety of door types and available in a range of finishes and designs, we have been able to assist door manufacturers in ensuring they meet the tastes of every customer.
Central to supporting our window and door manufacturers in meeting the latest legislative requirements is our dedication to extensive product testing and certification.
To assist window and door manufacturers achieve compliance, our UKAS-accredited test house is fully equipped to test doors and windows to the latest industry standards, including PAS 24:2016, BS 6375-1:2015 and BS 6375-2:2009.
This year, we achieved a 16th consecutive UKAS accreditation for the test centre, which is fully equipped to test casement windows, sash windows and single or double doors to the latest British Standards.
A team of engineers conducts rigorous testing within the laboratory to ensure that the performance of manufacturers’ doors and windows meets the criteria outlined by PAS 24 and other relevant standards from the British Standards Institute. This includes testing for security risks, weather tightness, and operating and strength characteristics.
To ensure we help our fabricator partners add real value to their customers properties, we also continue to invest in superior anti-corrosion testing to achieve the highest possible standards of durability and longevity across all of our hardware and decorative furniture.
Going above and beyond neutral salt spray testing, our prohesion testing process includes an electrolyte spray sequence with drying cycles at high temperatures to concentrate salt deposits, achieving real world accelerated testing.
As we celebrate almost two centuries in operation, we are encouraging our fabrication partners to continue to work in close collaboration with our in-house team of designers and engineers so that, as partners, we not only meet the latest legal requirements but successfully fulfil consumer demand and continue to push forwards together to secure sustained growth for the sector for all.