Demand for illegal products challenged

Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell discusses the latest claim that illegal product manufacture is going unchallenged – until now.

There is something of an impassioned plea by Colin Torley of the Saveheat Group this week regarding the manufacture and supply of narrow cavity IGUs destined typically for the heritage timber window market.

Colin’s main gripe that he refuses to supply units that don’t comply with the necessary standards and regulations, but then loses business to companies that ignore them, because the demand is there.

But it also says something about the perception of the fenestration industry; in his article, Colin said: “I would hope that the industry regulators, planning and conservation officers, architects and other specifiers pick up on what we are trying to do and support us, as there is product being installed that is illegal. There is an issue over heat loss, noise reduction, safety and security and, to top it all, it can cost 40%-50% more than compliant product.”

In the end, the reputation of the window industry suffers, yet the demand for products is being driven by people outside the industry.
“We have decided to take a stance and only supply a product that complies fully to the industry standards, but we seem to be a lone voice out there,” Colin said.

I suppose the obvious question is in all this is: if the product is illegal, yet widely produced and distributed, who is responsible for policing the industry, and why aren’t they doing more to keep these practices in check?