Trade Organisations
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By Paul Smith, technical chair, The Rooflight Association. The insights shared in a new white paper from The Rooflight Association, entitled The Benefits of Rooflights for the Daylighting of Buildings, provide fabricators and installers with a powerful tool to bolster their sales pitch: understanding what matters to architects, designers and specifiers can strengthen collaboration and help differentiate in a competitive...
By Jon Vanstone, chair, Certass Trade Association. In the home improvement sector, we talk a lot about trust, between installer and homeowner, in the badges on our vans, and in the schemes that promise protection. Yet despite the emphasis, the reality is that financial protection for consumers has long been inconsistent, unclear, and too often absent. As Chair of the National...
By Jon Vanstone, chair, Certass Trade Association. In an industry shaped by technical standards, innovation, and operational efficiency, it is vital that we do not overlook the human dimension of our work. The way we treat people, particularly those experiencing vulnerability, is increasingly recognised as a key indicator of trustworthiness and integrity. As our social and economic environment becomes more...
John Agnew, CEO, GGF Group has retired from the role. John joined the GGF as President in 2017, becoming its managing director in early 2020 before stepping into his current position as CEO, in July last year. His appointment to the GGF followed a distinguished career in the glass industry spanning more than four decades. This encompassed a series of...
The British Federation Rating Council (BFRC) has widened the scope of its onsite testing capabilities with the purchase of a Sparklike Laser Portable 2.1. According to the BFRC, the new kit will help reinforce its commitment to raise standards across the industry, and to support customers in determining IGU gas concentration in a non-invasive way. Richard Sellman, managing director at...
The Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) launched its first-ever CABfest on June 19 at the De Vere Wokefield Estate in Berkshire – a mansion house set in 250 acres of parkland – where 120 members and their customers gathered for a midsummer party involving golf, street food, live music and glorious sunshine. The day began with a round of...
The Qure Group, a specialist in dispute resolution for the fenestration market, has launched a host of easy-to-access mediation and dispute resolution solutions. Approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), the group says it offers ‘efficient, cost-effective mediation’ between homeowners and installers, when it’s needed most. Scott Robinson, managing director of the Qure Group, said: “It can be tough...
By Nigel Headford, chief executive, CAB. Last month’s restructure of building safety oversight was overdue – but at the very least it shows that Government has listened and recognised that the situation the construction sector faced was untenable. Gateway 2 of the Building Safety Act has been a pinch point for developers and their supply partners with some £2.bn worth...
Over recent months, the British Fenestration Ratings Council (BFRC) has reported significant growth in the scope of services both onsite and at its lab in Telford and says it is supporting an increasing number of businesses with testing and certification. Building on this, the BFRC team is now a UKAS accredited Product Certification provider for BS EN 14351-1 System 1 emergency...
By Richard Sellman BFRC managing director. I recently attended Glass Performance Days (GPD) in Finland and found it incredibly insightful. I was unsure of what to expect, but I have to say, it was extremely well put together and provided a real insight into the latest industry developments. Having been in the fenestration industry for many years and being an...
By Paul Smith, technical chair, The Rooflight Association. As the trade association representing the UK’s rooflight industry, The Rooflight Association (RA) has existed in various guises (formerly NARM and ARM) since before the turn of the millennium. In its early days, one of the Association’s first actions was to commission research to resolve a perceived conflict in Part L of...
By Jon Vanstone, chair, Certass Trade Association. As the glazing industry looks ahead to the next wave of regulatory reform, it is clear that competency is firmly back on the agenda. With the Building Safety Regulator now at centre stage, the focus is shifting towards ensuring that every tradesperson is not only competent, but that the systems around them are...
Certass has announced its support for Building Our Skills – Making Fenestration a Career of Choice (BOS) – the industry initiative committed to introducing new people into the fenestration sector. BOS is said to have ‘a proven track record’ of engaging young people and guiding them into rewarding careers in fenestration and its related disciplines. Through partnerships with employers, training...
The BFRC is a name synonymous with driving industry standards and is the UK’s most established and widely recognised rating organisation for verifying the energy performance of windows and doors. Here, manging director, Richard Sellman, explains why the focus of the organisation is firmly fixed on continuing to make a real difference. The need to improve standards across the construction...
GGF training and technical manager John Mannell recently attended the UAP and FDM industry round table on behalf of the Glass and Glazing Federation group of companies. John’s attendance forms part of the GGF’s overall drive to represent proactively the interests of its members across the industry in all matters relating to compliancy and competency, particularly in the wake of...
The GGF and FENSA have reported a ‘vibrant and buzzing’ stand at the recent FIT Show. As well as the activities of the GGF and FENSA themselves (including the launch of marketing reports and publications), and an introduction to ACDM members, representatives from the organisation’s other companies – BFRC, RISA and Installsure – were bringing visitors up to date with...
As part of its ongoing drive to support all sectors within the fenestration industry, the Glass & Glazing Federation has announced a strategic partnership with The Joinery Network. The GGF and TJN have committed to working together to ensure TJN licence holders and GGF members have access to the latest regulatory and technical information and support. Ultimately, the goal is...
The BFRC has reported a highly successful three days at the 2025 FIT Show. Richard Sellman, BFRC managing director, explained: “We had a fantastic few days at the FIT Show – I genuinely believe this year’s was the best one yet! “It proved a timely event for us as an organisation. Having recently extended our service offering it was the...
By Ben Wallace, managing director, Glass & Glazing Federation. From its inception, the GGF has had a clear mission: to represent and support the diverse interests of the glass and glazing industry while upholding the highest standards of excellence, ethical practices and quality. Through advocacy, technical expertise and a focus on continuous improvement and development, the GGF has helped shape...
By Jon Vanstone, chair of Certass. Sustainability is no longer a side consideration in the glazing industry – it is at the heart of how we must operate. With carbon reduction targets becoming ever more pressing, the conversation around the environmental impact of our products has never been more relevant. While glass recycling schemes are an important step in the...