The Made in Britain organisation now has new extrusion aluminium company Garnelex as a member. Garnalex supplies all manner of aluminium extrusions to industry.  For aluminium windows the company is shortly to introduce the brand new Sheerline door and window system, promising to offer new innovative design and service levels.  

What is the Made in Britain Organisation?

Made in Britain is an organisation bringing together British businesses united as authentic British manufacturers. To gain this accreditation, businesses undergo an assessment process giving an assurance of a truly British product and manufacturer. The Made in Britain organisation also provides support when needed relating to exports, sales, marketing and public relations.

To qualify for the Made In Britain membership, Garnalex has demonstrated themselves as a manufacturer in the UK. Specifically, the materials Garnalex uses under Made in Britain rules, must undergo “a substantial and transformative change” as a result of their production processes.

Furthermore, the Made in Britain organisation checks the legitimacy of their members via the SIC code. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) registered with Companies House is a four-digit code classifying the nature of the business.

Roger Hartshorn, the CEO of Garnalex says:

Currently 190,000 tons of extruded aluminium is consumed in the UK, but only 110,000 tons is made in the UK. We plan to make a big dent in those import statistics! The raw aluminium comes from Wales, so this really is your chance to reduce Britain’s carbon footprint and buy British. We’ve spent over £9m on Garnalex’ state-of-the-art aluminium extrusion facility and we’ve integrated manufacturing, logistics and SAP with our in-house GarnerSys software for improved efficiency and outstanding product quality.

Garnalex is proud to invest in British manufacturing – our new Sheerline aluminium window and door system is designed in Britain and made in Britain. Garnalex is one of only a few aluminium companies to extrude in Britain and supply both trade extrusions to other companies and our own Sheerline window and door systems to fabricators. This investment gives us full control of the supply chain, enabling us to offer shorter lead times and first-class service.

Garnalex, therefore, joins a growing British community in the fenestration sector including SE Controls, Anglian, Epwin, Cantifix, Crittall®, Mumford and Wood, Masterframe and many others.

Why the Made in Britain logo is important

Consumers wanting genuinely British aluminium windows and doors have confidence when they see the official Made in Britain mark. The trade also benefits. Not only do they support British manufacturing but also get the sales benefits from customers wanting products made here.  And with so many European extrusions in the UK market, we see this as a genuine way to set the business apart now that the UK has left the European Union.

The new Sheerline system launches in March 2020. It promises an advanced aluminium system with a completely new design, fabrication methods and an improved way fabricators get material.  For installers, the product promises an appealing product range and desirable aesthetics, options and colours. 

Garnalex offers interested manufacturers and installers the opportunity to attend Sheerline Ambassador Workshops. Get in touch to find out more about these. 

The post Garnalex joins Made in Britain Organisation appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Our Stellar bifolding door review takes an in-depth look at the new aluminium bifold by Epwin Window Systems. A current-generation bifolding door designed for the home or medium-duty commercial markets.

What is the Stellar Bifolding door by The Epwin Group?

Founded in 1976, The Epwin Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Epwin predominantly serves the trade, retail, social housing and construction sector. Epwin products come supplied and installed via a nationwide network of quality manufacturers and installers. In this Stellar bifolding door review, we take a look at the finer details of the product and the benefits it provides for both installers and the homeowner.

The Stellar bifolding door targets a relatively new niche in the market. That is the aluminium bifolding door with similar aesthetics to PVCu windows.  The Alumina bifolding door by Liniar is already selling well as a premium aluminium bifold with the woodgrain foils and aesthetics to match PVCu windows. Stellar now offers an alternative product with high quality aluminium windows and doors from the same brand. 

Epwin says about Stellar that this door provides all the strength and performance of aluminium but with the attractive ‘softer’ detailing of PVCu. And there is a credible case for this door as many people love the aesthetics of well-designed PVCu windows. The external frame and sash upstand are available in a bevelled or sculptured finish as is the beading, to complement the style of a property’s windows. There’s also the option of a square aluminium bead for those that want it.

While different bifolding door brands come with a choice of profile aesthetic, not all consider the number of houses already fitted with PVCu windows. Several bifold door systems on the market already offer a rounded aesthetic inside or outside, similar to PVCu windows and doors.  However, where aluminium bifolding doors do differ is they don’t come with a PVCu foil. Origin bifolding doors come with a woodgrain sublimated aluminium finish as do Smart Systems Visofold doors with their woodstructure range. That said, a substantial number of houses have modern PVCu windows installed not needing replacement.  

As a result, the Stellar bifold gives a credible option for matching a PVCu aesthetic with the well-known benefits of an aluminium bifolding door.

Stellar bifolding door review. Key Features.

Epwin says the Sellar bifold is developed for appearance and design flexibility. It is a well-designed and nice looking product. You get a bevelled frame and sash upstand as well as an optional square. You also get a PVCu glazing bead. There are some advantages to having PVCu beads on a door like this. First of all, you get a choice of sculptured or bevelled, as well as square aluminium versions.

One significant benefit of PVCu glazing beads is their greater ‘give’ over aluminium beads.  More flexible, PVCu beads make doors easier and significantly faster to glaze. This is because you don’t need to manually add the gasket as you do with aluminium beads. Therefore, anyone glazing a Stellar bifold will find it substantially faster than any product with aluminium beads. For the homeowner, the speed of glazing probably doesn’t matter. For the installer, having a bifold that’s easy to work with is a benefit to them.

Furthermore, PVCu glazing beads also reduce the risk of marking the paint finish with the exposed edges. This can occur at times in aluminium glazing beads cut a little oversize. Careful glazing and the right size cut beads usually don’t pose a problem. However, it is useful for the harsher or inexperienced glazier.

Just like any aluminium bifolding door, Stellar uses polyamide thermal breaks. At the moment little information is available on the choice of door profiles, cills and ancillaries available.

Another advantage of the Stellar bifold is the suitability for the door to come with PVCu cills. This further adds to the choices that come with the product.

Bifolding door configurations and options.

Stellar bifolding doors come as a two-panel to seven panel arrangement.  Door leaves come in sizes of 750mm up to 1000mm wide with a maximum sash height of 2100mm. As with any other bifold, doors open in or out, come with an access leaf and flexible folding sliding options. You also get a single or double door option as a basic hinged door.

The door is suitable to replace old bifolding doors thanks to a 70mm deep profile. This dimension is also good for the majority of other PVCu systems, mostly with the same dimension.

Stellar vs Alumina bifolding doors.

Our at a glance table shows the key features of the new Stellar bifolding door against the Alumina product – its obvious competitor. Here is how they compare. You can also read our in-depth review of the Alumina bifolding door.

Colour options with Stellar folding doors.

As with any other bifold, you get a choice of colour.  Epwin offers a choice of Black, white or grey standard colours.  Then you get a selection of foiled finishes.  All in all, there are 28 foil colours and woodgrain finishes

Performance Specifications.

• PAS24 security tested as well as Secured by Design and Document Q Compliant, only when correctly specified.
• Multi-point locks with anti-lift system and shoot bolts to the slave leaves.
• The standard 40-micron powder-coated finish.
• Typical U-Values of 1.7Wm2K, available with double or triple glazing.
• An optional midrail, especially suitable for single or double doors.

Stellar bifolding door review. Summary.

While the market hasn’t been desperate for a bifold that matches PVCu aesthetics, there are obvious benefits. Not everyone likes the contemporary look of many bifolds. Others have nearby windows and doors and might like the ‘softer’ look of this door.

This bifold comes with reliability and ease built-in. From the durable rollers also having a brush pile keeping the track cleaner. Hinges are secure and easy to fit/adjust. Glazing options are flexible and the door is designed to last. Arguably it could have been made slimmer. That said the sightlines fall below more popular brands like Origin OB-72 or the Visofold product. But, the market doesn’t scream out for the thinnest bifolds either.

Other systems such as Visofold do give bigger panel sizes and other doors only need three panels where Stellar requires four.  Stellar bifolds won’t give you a ramp type threshold like Alumina, having both a weather rated and Part M threshold.  

However, these doors are invariably appealing to installers wanting the benefits of the PVCu profile integration and who know their PVCu products.  The look of the door will also appeal to those not necessarily after a full modern-looking door. Installers also benefit from the legendary service Epwin provides to their customers, longevity and reputation.

The Stellar Bifold door joins a now mature market and worthy of consideration alongside other brands.  The foiled finish is certainly appealing to those who aren’t convinced by sublimated wood finishes on other aluminium systems. Use our contact form for more information and where to buy.

The post Stellar bifolding door review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Origin has a new MD in the appointment of Daniel Baker.

The Aluminium Trade Supply website has been delighted to work with Origin for many years both directly and via our web clients, many of which are Origin dealers.

We wish  Daniel every success in his new role and Andy, the departing MD the very best of luck in whatever he does next. And of course, continued success to Origin.

10 Things Origin changed for the better

Everyone is aware of Origin’s success with bifolding doors. Origin is for certain, responsible for the growth of this product in the UK, but they’ve done more than bifolds.

During Andrew Halsall’s time, Origin has, without question, been one of the most significant contributors in improving aluminium. Here are 10 things by Origin that have changed trade supply and residential aluminium for the better.

Brand Awareness

Those of us in the glazing industry for a while, recall how unaware end-user customers were of brands. Everest or Anglian in PVCu were familiar and Monarch or PB Systems in aluminium less so. However, in most cases, there was little connection between aluminium windows and doors and brand names. Origin changed this.

Origin marketed their products directly to the end-user, not via the trade route as was commonplace. They’re a trade supplier, yet their website has a retail focus to it.

Consumers today are more aware of brand names and especially in aluminium. Schuco, Cortizo, Origin, Reynaers, Infiniglide are just some. We say they probably know aluminium brands better than PVCu. Above all this brand focus has cleared up sales messages and served an entire sector for the better.

Origin and it’s incredible marketing and branding has forced an entire sector to market systems and brands. Before the homeowner just bought windows. Today the homeowner actually knows what a system is.

Other systems companies have followed suit. They adopted what we’ve been saying for years. As a trade supplier, don’t leave it entirely up to your trade customers to get your brand to the end-user. Do it yourself as a system supplier.

It’s rare for a homeowner to say to the neighbours or property sales literature to state, “I’ve got Deceuninck/Rehau etc windows”. It’s not so rare to hear or see, “these are Origin doors and windows”.

Origin has created other successful businesses

No other company (apart from Everest or Anglian) has succeeded in bringing their products to so many showrooms all over the UK. At the same time, Origin leads in marketing support, training, showroom products , promotional materials and much more to their dealers.

What Origin does supporting their dealers is incredible. This support and branding have contributed to the growth and financial success of many of their dealers selling Origin products.

We’ve worked with start-up aluminium retail businesses that in an impressively short space of time have grown and succeeded. This success is, in part, to their relationship with Origin and selling Origin products.

Of course, some dealers still moan about having another Origin dealer on their doorstep. The reality is it doesn’t really matter.

Revolutionary aluminium lead-times

One of the most significant changes Origin brought to the aluminium supply chain was drastically reduced lead times on aluminium.

For years, excessive lead times on coloured aluminium plagued installers. Getting prices on coloured products was equally slow and frustrating.

Through the innovative Your Lead Time Not Ours service, Origin proved that coloured aluminium was no different to white. Correct planning, manufacturing, sophisticated systems and procedures. All this with vast stockholding and a brilliant extrusion and powder coating supply chain behind them. You can get a standard colour Origin door the next day.

It is as a result of Origin and their shakeup of lead times that other trade suppliers followed suit. Aluminium on workable lead times is standard from most trade suppliers today.

This improvement also came about as a result of Origin being aware of their customer type and demographic. The new extension market and the need for bifolding doors to close the aperture as soon as completed by the builder is just one. Origin secured homeowner sales because their doors enable projects to complete faster. It’s as simple as that.

The bespoke message

Are bifolding doors bespoke in the truest sense of the word? Probably not. Through marketing, genuine options others still can’t provide, the Origin bifolding door, window and sliding door has a premium and bespoke perception.

Colour matched gaskets, handles and hardware, colour choices, woodgrain aluminium and other customisation options. They’ve all elevated the general aluminium message to one of bespoke, luxury and desirable.

Those of us that recall basic options on aluminium systems realise the significance of Origin’s bespoke message. Again it forced suppliers to better their own offering.

Origin has contributed to the growth of aluminium in the UK

We would also stick our neck out and suggest that Origin has played a major part in increasing sales of aluminium generally in the UK.

The ethos of the company has given people selling aluminium the kick they needed to do better . It also encouraged many others to get into aluminium.

The aluminium supply chain improved for the better

The benefit of this is that other major trade suppliers, cleaned up their act. Rather than letting their installers do their selling, over the last 10-15 years have proactively invested in better marketing support for their dealers.

Origin has also forced some of the main established players in the sector to rethink how they communicate with the trade and end-users.

The Origin Window

It was in 2013 when Andy Halsall teased the idea of a possible Origin window with me. I thought it was daft to consider designing a window system. My suggestion was Origin tied in with one of the good systems companies. I’m glad my advice was ignored.

The Origin OW-80 as it is now brought a new design to the market. A flush casement aluminium window, not just on the outside but on both sides.

Even more significant was how they managed to offer options with this window previously unavailable with any other trade supplier. One of the most significant being colour matched window handles. Not in a few standard colours, but any colour. Anyone that knows powder coating of small parts knows this is not easy.

Origin in the Media

Through the many television and radio adverts, multiple award wins, business interviews or awareness and involvement across multiple media channels, it’s helped the company grow. At the same time, Origin in the medial has unquestionably given their dealers more sales.

Origin has also advertised on television choosing to appear in the advert break on Coronation street!

The industry looks to Origin

We know in future strategy or product development and planning by other systems companies, they’re all looking at Origin. As a business, service and products Origin is there when analysing the competition.

We can even cite businesses that took an alternative system and customised it with the features that made Origin bifolds so desirable.

Origin vs Schuco vs everything else

We know from our contact forms, analytics and work we do that Origin is compared with Schuco more than any other product. It’s also compared to Reynaers, Aluk, Smarts and others.

This is not about what is the best bifolding door, there are many great products on the market. It’s yet another example of how Origin’s message over many years benefitted the company and their dealers. Of course, lets not forget many thousands of homeowners enjoying Origin products in their homes.

Some may think Origin has compromised their position by being so ‘available’. Yes you can even now find Origin doors on Costco. But it doesn’t matter. You can find the same brand in Waitrose as well as Lidl.

Finally in aluminium we have a recognisable brand name, like Everest has been for decades and a highly professional business behind it.

Here’s the full press release:

The UK’s leading manufacturer of premium aluminium windows and doors, Origin, has appointed Daniel Baker as its new Managing Director, UK.

Daniel, who has been a non-executive member of the Board of Origin since 2010, has been instrumental in supporting the goals and visions of the business since he joined the company 10 years ago. Following a successful career as an Angel Investor, Non-Executive Director and Management Consultant, Daniel brings with him extensive experience of delivering the development and maturation of businesses like Origin.

The appointment comes at an exciting time for Origin and signifies the company’s continued growth, as the business looks to explore the ongoing strategic opportunities available, both in the UK and across the globe.

Commenting on his new role, Daniel said:

I’m extremely pleased to be leading the Origin team at what is a key time for the business. Following ten years on the board of directors, I already know the business inside out and am looking forward to hitting the ground running, building on Origin’s significant success, whilst continuing to deliver the fantastic products it has become renowned for.

Daniel will replace Origin’s previous Managing Director, UK, Andrew Halsall, who will be stepping down from the role after over ten years with the company.

Neil Ginger, Founder and CEO at Origin, said:

We would like to thank Andrew for his huge contribution towards the business and wish him all the best with his next challenge. Over the past ten years, Origin has grown and changed exponentially. In just a decade, the business has matured from a designer and manufacturer of an award-winning bifold door, to a global systems designer and manufacturer with products installed in over 20 countries worldwide. It’s an incredibly exciting time for the business, and we are confident that Daniel’s wealth of knowledge and experience will support the Origin’s growth and development for the next ten years and beyond, ensuring that the business realises its full potential.

Whilst Daniel’s appointment signifies the next step in Origin’s growth, the business that our customers and partners have come to rely on is not going to change, and we will continue to strive to design, manufacture and deliver, on time and in full, the best aluminium doors and windows possible. As demand continues to rise, we are looking forward to progressing with momentum, confidence and enthusiasm.

The post Daniel Baker appointed as new Managing Director for Origin appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Our every door is a perfect combination of style and security. Each door and frame is precisely manufactured in aluminium thermal profiles using secured multipoint Wink Haus German locking system. Not only this, but the doors can also be customised to RC2 German Security Certification ; a very high standard of security involving use of laminate glass and security pins, making it difficult to break in.

We use double / triple/ quadruple toughened insulated glass and our doors range from 0.54 W/m2K to 1.8 W/m2K (U- Value). We use famous high quality German profiles Reynaers and Schuco in our Premier Door Series.

Our range of doors include very wide doors, upto 1250mm wide opening and as high as 2250mm. However, we can provide bespoke doors with side and top glazed panels for larger openings.. Besides our range we can create bespoke door styles of your choice too.

The post appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Our Stellar bifolding door review takes an in-depth look at the new aluminium bifold by Epwin Window Systems. A current-generation bifolding door designed for the home or medium-duty commercial markets.

What is the Stellar Bifolding door by The Epwin Group?

Founded in 1976, The Epwin Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Epwin predominantly serves the trade, retail, social housing and construction sector. Epwin products come supplied and installed via a nationwide network of quality manufacturers and installers. In this Stellar bifolding door review, we take a look at the finer details of the product and the benefits it provides for both installers and the homeowner.

The Stellar bifolding door targets a relatively new niche in the market. That is the aluminium bifolding door with similar aesthetics to PVCu windows.  The Alumina bifolding door by Liniar is already selling well as a premium aluminium bifold with the woodgrain foils and aesthetics to match PVCu windows. Stellar now offers an alternative product with high quality aluminium windows and doors from the same brand. 

Epwin says about Stellar that this door provides all the strength and performance of aluminium but with the attractive ‘softer’ detailing of PVCu. And there is a credible case for this door as many people love the aesthetics of well-designed PVCu windows. The external frame and sash upstand are available in a bevelled or sculptured finish as is the beading, to complement the style of a property’s windows. There’s also the option of a square aluminium bead for those that want it.

While different bifolding door brands come with a choice of profile aesthetic, not all consider the number of houses already fitted with PVCu windows. Several bifold door systems on the market already offer a rounded aesthetic inside or outside, similar to PVCu windows and doors.  However, where aluminium bifolding doors do differ is they don’t come with a PVCu foil. Origin bifolding doors come with a woodgrain sublimated aluminium finish as do Smart Systems Visofold doors with their woodstructure range. That said, a substantial number of houses have modern PVCu windows installed not needing replacement.  

As a result, the Stellar bifold gives a credible option for matching a PVCu aesthetic with the well-known benefits of an aluminium bifolding door.

Stellar bifolding door review. Key Features.

Epwin says the Sellar bifold is developed for appearance and design flexibility. It is a well-designed and nice looking product. You get a bevelled frame and sash upstand as well as an optional square. You also get a PVCu glazing bead. There are some advantages to having PVCu beads on a door like this. First of all, you get a choice of sculptured or bevelled, as well as square aluminium versions.

One significant benefit of PVCu glazing beads is their greater ‘give’ over aluminium beads.  More flexible, PVCu beads make doors easier and significantly faster to glaze. This is because you don’t need to manually add the gasket as you do with aluminium beads. Therefore, anyone glazing a Stellar bifold will find it substantially faster than any product with aluminium beads. For the homeowner, the speed of glazing probably doesn’t matter. For the installer, having a bifold that’s easy to work with is a benefit to them.

Furthermore, PVCu glazing beads also reduce the risk of marking the paint finish with the exposed edges. This can occur at times in aluminium glazing beads cut a little oversize. Careful glazing and the right size cut beads usually don’t pose a problem. However, it is useful for the harsher or inexperienced glazier.

Just like any aluminium bifolding door, Stellar uses polyamide thermal breaks. At the moment little information is available on the choice of door profiles, cills and ancillaries available.

Another advantage of the Stellar bifold is the suitability for the door to come with PVCu cills. This further adds to the choices that come with the product.

Bifolding door configurations and options.

Stellar bifolding doors come as a two-panel to seven panel arrangement.  Door leaves come in sizes of 750mm up to 1000mm wide with a maximum sash height of 2100mm. As with any other bifold, doors open in or out, come with an access leaf and flexible folding sliding options. You also get a single or double door option as a basic hinged door.

The door is suitable to replace old bifolding doors thanks to a 70mm deep profile. This dimension is also good for the majority of other PVCu systems, mostly with the same dimension.

Stellar vs Alumina bifolding doors.

Our at a glance table shows the key features of the new Stellar bifolding door against the Alumina product – its obvious competitor. Here is how they compare. You can also read our in-depth review of the Alumina bifolding door.

Colour options with Stellar folding doors.

As with any other bifold, you get a choice of colour.  Epwin offers a choice of Black, white or grey standard colours.  Then you get a selection of foiled finishes.  All in all, there are 28 foil colours and woodgrain finishes

Performance Specifications.

• PAS24 security tested as well as Secured by Design and Document Q Compliant, only when correctly specified.
• Multi-point locks with anti-lift system and shoot bolts to the slave leaves.
• The standard 40-micron powder-coated finish.
• Typical U-Values of 1.7Wm2K, available with double or triple glazing.
• An optional midrail, especially suitable for single or double doors.

Stellar bifolding door review. Summary.

While the market hasn’t been desperate for a bifold that matches PVCu aesthetics, there are obvious benefits. Not everyone likes the contemporary look of many bifolds. Others have nearby windows and doors and might like the ‘softer’ look of this door.

This bifold comes with reliability and ease built-in. From the durable rollers also having a brush pile keeping the track cleaner. Hinges are secure and easy to fit/adjust. Glazing options are flexible and the door is designed to last. Arguably it could have been made slimmer. That said the sightlines fall below more popular brands like Origin OB-72 or the Visofold product. But, the market doesn’t scream out for the thinnest bifolds either.

Other systems such as Visofold do give bigger panel sizes and other doors only need three panels where Stellar requires four.  Stellar bifolds won’t give you a ramp type threshold like Alumina, having both a weather rated and Part M threshold.  

However, these doors are invariably appealing to installers wanting the benefits of the PVCu profile integration and who know their PVCu products.  The look of the door will also appeal to those not necessarily after a full modern-looking door. Installers also benefit from the legendary service Epwin provides to their customers, longevity and reputation.

The Stellar Bifold door joins a now mature market and worthy of consideration alongside other brands.  The foiled finish is certainly appealing to those who aren’t convinced by sublimated wood finishes on other aluminium systems. Use our contact form for more information and where to buy.

The post Stellar bifolding door review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

It is well known that some of the best bi folding doors are available in Aluminium, PVCu and Timber. There is also the choice of hybrid materials which consist of aluminium on the outside and natural wood inside.

For this article, we will concentrate on the choice of aluminium bi folding doors, and try to offer some guidance.  We also explain how bifolds are similar in specification and give you some of the many brands available.

Helping you choose the best bi folding doors for your home.

First of all, people ask this website “where can I view several examples of bi folding doors in one place?”  There are some good reasons why this is not always possible.  One important reason is space!  Unlike window samples, a double glazing salesperson may bring into the home, bi folding doors must be full size working and correctly installed doors to give the right customer experience. Only a full-size door provides a good overview of the product.

As a result, to display many different doors, typically 4 metres wide would need substantial showroom space.  Now, good bifolding door showrooms are commonplace. Express Bifolds in Leeds, Romford, Redhill and Glasgow has some of the best showrooms in the UK. Hehku in Sussex, Aspire Bifolds in Epsom, Open Living in Letchworth, Everglade Windows in Middlesex, Sunflex in Norwich, IQ Glass in Buckinghamshire. These are just a tiny fraction of outstanding showrooms with many doors on display.  Contact us as we can put you in touch with showrooms where you can see several products.

Home improvement companies choose which system they sell to you in the same way as retail shops choose which brand of product to stock. Most home improvement firms offer windows, entrance doors, conservatories and bifolding doors.  Other businesses specialise only in bifolding as well as sliding doors.  Consequently, you are more likely to see a greater variety of bifolding door systems at a bifolding door specialist.

Brands like Origin, AluK, Smart Systems, you will see everywhere.  There are substantially more brands on the market than these.

Bifolding doors remain a desirable home improvement product.

First of all, one of the most important things to know about bifolding doors.  The reliability of the product is down to the quality of the manufacture and precise installation. Finding the best bi folding doors is therefore also about who makes and fits it.  Find the right installer, and your new bifold door will serve you well. With any quality door and installer, you get several ‘peace-of-mind features, such as:

• Extensive choice of colours.
• Certified security and weather performance such as PAS24 or Secured By Design.
• Multi-point locking, security door cylinders and durable door handles.
• A selection of door brands.
• Matching windows and other doors where required.

With most bifolds being exterior doors, another factor is weather resistance. Virtually every reputable brand comes tested to current weather performance requirements.  Therefore, bifolding doors today have excellent weather performance. We do not hear of bifolding doors suffering from water ingress.  Seals, gaskets and great design allow any water to drain to the outside.  And remember a bifold door is weather resistant only when correctly made and fitted.

Over the years, substantial improvements to hardware and running hear means bifold doors work better than ever.  As a result, your doors provide reliable operation for many years to come. As well as hardware improvements, bifold door design is better. Modern doors come substantially improved over previous generations of sliding folding doors.

So it is fair to say that the bifolding door has progressed significantly over older versions of sliding folding doors. To find the best bi folding door means understanding who makes it too.  To illustrate this, we explain the role of the bifolding door within the aluminium supply chain.

Bifolding doors come direct from many different manufacturers or exclusively produced by the systems company that designed them. Learn about Systems Companies.

The Bi folding door “system”.

Many of the best bi folding doors in the market come designed and extruded in raw material form by Aluminium Systems Companies. These are called bifolding door systems.

In general terms, these Systems Companies supply the aluminium bars, hardware and accessories to nationwide manufacturers. Many of these manufacturers then sell the fabricated bifolding doors to the installers, home improvement firms, general builders and companies specialising in home renovations.  Some manufacturers also make and install your bifolding doors.

As well as this, some home improvement companies choose to rebrand these bifolding doors with a different name. They remain for example a “Smarts System” (or Smarts Door), but a simple marketing exercise enables a Company to have its own particular “brand” of a bifolding door.  In many cases, the door is the same as any other of the same system.  Some other companies do choose to fit different handles or customise the design in some way to differentiate their door from another.

The systems companies support all these manufacturers and provide detailed fabrication manuals, technical support documents, tooling and machinery.

All reputable bifolding door manufacturers adhere to the guidance in these technical manuals, ensuring the product comes manufactured, glazed and installed as intended by the systems company.  Moreover, this is important in the event of a problem with the finished product.  The Systems Company only stands by and supports issues with their products when manufactured and installed correctly.

The only perceived risk with any door supplied to more than one fabricator is that quality can differ from company to company as will the guarantees. In reality, this is nothing to worry about.  Some of the best names in bifolding doors such as Schuco or Reynaers come fabricated by many different businesses all over the country.

One company only manufactures some of the best bi folding doors.

By comparison, some companies offer bifolding doors unique to them. They retain their own bifolding door “system” but also manufacture the doors themselves.  These are then be supplied ready-made to their approved dealers and installers. Such companies include Origin Bifolding Doors, Sunparadise, Solarlux, Sunflex, Centor, are just some.

Origin Bifolding Doors are one of the most highly regarded bifolding doors in the UK.  The Origin door is an excellent example of a large business that fabricates bifolding doors to an exceptional standard. Only Origin makes their doors. In 2019 Origin has introduced new products such as sliding doors and the new OB-49 bifolding door. The brand new OB-49 by Origin now comes with ultra-slim sightlines of just 110mm at the door mullions and is now one of the slimmest doors available. It comes with Hafi handles as standard and has the same expert craftsmanship, quality and engineering of their original product, now called the OB-72.

Another benefit to one manufacturer is consistent quality, greater control of the product as well as an after-care service.  Origin, for instance, actively engages with its customers where many other systems companies less so.  Moreover, the way Origin exclusively supplies its quality folding doors also enables them to offer a 20-year warranty.

SUNFLEX is another excellent, sought-after brand of bifolding doors with a German-made product. This brand bifold comes with several unique features over other bifolds as well as being one of the thinnest.  Well worth looking at alongside any other premium brand.  There are seven different door models to choose from in aluminium, timber and hybrid materials.

Dutemänn based in Dartford is a premier manufacturer of Schuco doors. Dutemann additionally offers their FD85 bifolding door giving you three panels when most other systems on the market need four panels.  The Dutemann FD85 uses the Greek Alumil system. Express Bifolding doors also use Alumil in their XP View door.

Sunparadise Systems come with Swiss design, engineering and quality influences and are widely regarded as one of the upper-tier bifolding doors on the market.  Some of the best installers operating in the high-end residential market use Sunparadise products.  These sit with Centor, Solarlux, Sunflex and Schuco as some of the best bifolding doors you can buy.

Therefore if who makes your bifolding doors is essential, do your research and ask each potential supplier for a full background. Or contact us for more information on a brand or system.

Many factors affect your choice of bifolding door.

Another factor around which is the best bifolding door comes down to features and benefits. Professionals in the door and window industry all have their view of what is the best bifolding door.  They base their reasons on factors such as ease of installation, previous experience with reliability as well as, for manufacturers, ease of fabrication.

After product considerations come service levels from their supplier.  Long-term reliability is another consideration. Finally, brand perception is important too.  To begin with, suppliers like to offer an affordable bifold like the Smart Systems Visofold or AluK Optio BSF70 bi-fold door. After this, they then sell a door with a better brand perception such as Schuco, Reynaers, Air, Sunfold or Sunflex.

Also important to bifold doors sellers is a choice based on styling and aesthetics. For instance, Origin doors are widely available in the UK, but the OB-72 is not the thinnest.  Therefore many dealers supply Origin with a thinner alternative for comparison and choice.  Schuco, Reynaers and SUNFLEX is usually the one.  To help with your research, we’ve compiled a comprehensive article showing who makes the slimmest bifolding doors.

Importantly for the end-user, the best bifolding door also relates to price, guarantees, aesthetics and of course confidence in the company they’re buying them from.  Having considered the supply chain, we now examine the technical, aesthetic and other features standard in some of the best bi folding doors.

The best Bi folding Door Brands

We say there are no absolute best bi folding doors. Rather, the leading systems can be grouped for comparison.  This list is to help you compare the various systems should you wish to do so. We have compiled this through our experience of having worked with many bifolding door products, the companies and their customer base.

The following Bifolding Door brands are considered by this website and many professionals to be the market leaders in terms of design, build quality and service levels. Obviously, the price reflects this too.

Brands of Aluminium Bifold Doors

What about Everest and Anglian Bifolding Doors?

We must mention the two biggest home improvement firms in the UK and their bifolding doors. The reality is there is very little information about them as Everest and Anglian don’t reveal much.  They rarely provide detailed information when asked so we can review the products.

It is our understanding that the Everest Bifolding Door uses the SAPA bifolding door with minor modifications to make it ‘unique’ to Everest.  Anglian, we believe uses modified AluK bifolding door profiles.

Bifolding Door Quality & Standards

If the sheer choice of bifolding door brands and products seems like a minefield, we can help. The technical specifications of many bifold doors are similar. Thanks to the many industry standards in place to produce doors and windows, bifold door specifications are broadly the same.

Paint finish, aluminium profiles, glass and gaskets all come from high up the supply chain.  Therefore, our advice is to concentrate on the aesthetics and personalisation options as the material quality is pretty much the same.

All bifolding door manufacturers operate within strict guidelines for material quality, glass specification and security standards. Other companies will have their own in-house Quality Assurance Systems and procedures to ensure product and manufacturing quality is consistent and of a high standard.

U Values

A U value is the name given to how heat transfer is measured through a building material such as a door or a window.  In simple terms, it is a measure proving how-how energy efficient a door will be including its glass.  This is to comply with new Building Regulations that came into effect in October 2010.

All parts whether windows, doors or building materials that contribute to the overall energy efficiency of a home must achieve a  U Value.  Generally, the lower the U Value, the more energy-efficient the product.  The current Building Regulations require the overall door energy rating to have a U value of less than 1.8wM2K. On bifolding doors, U-Values will vary from system to system, but each must meet the minimum standard as determined by the Building Regulations product to product as well, but each should meet the minimal standard.  As a result, several good doors offer great U-Values when glazed with a standard double glazed unit.

Powder Coating

The powder coating process and the way aluminium doors are coloured and finished is one of the most appealing features of aluminium bifolding doors.  Most leading systems companies such as Smart Systems, Senior Architectural Systems and others have invested in their own powder coating plants.  Other systems will outsource the painting of their aluminium doors to approved and expert powder coating companies.  It does not matter who paints your doors as long as it is to recognised industry standards. Most powder coaters have Qualicoat Approval.

Some of the best bi folding doors come with thicker paint finishes for enhanced durability. Great for exposed or coastal locations.

Salt and Chlorine

For doors installed in a coastal or swimming pool environment, it is imperative that the powder coating applied takes into consideration the location. Any bifolding door system can, therefore, come with an extended paint guarantee. This guarantee protects powder-coated bifolding doors against salt, chlorine and other contaminants.

Several brands come with this enhanced powder-coated finish (coated to thicker microns) as standard. Be aware that guarantees are offered only by the powder coating applicators.  There is a difference between a thicker grade paint finish without a warranty and one where an application for a special guarantee to the powder coater needs to be made.

Security

Locking mechanisms will mostly meet minimum or maximum security requirements depending upon what testing standard has been carried out. Some bifolding doors meet Secured by Design accreditation; others do not.  We suggest you always ask about testing and certification with your doors.

Weather

Weather performance on bifolding doors will also have been carried out to established industry standards. Some doors will have a more severe weather rating than others.  This does not imply that the bifolding doors with the lesser standard will leak!  You may wish to consider a door with a higher weather rating for doors in an exposed location. If your doors are simply for an extension to a typical terraced house, the lesser standard will suffice.

What about the best bi folding doors you rarely see?

Look at many of the most beautiful bifolding door showrooms, and it is the case you will often see the same brands of doors available. Good examples are Smart System Visofold and AluK bifolding doors.  These are good quality bifolding doors, widely available and at competitive prices.

Alumil SF85. One of the newest bifolding doors in the UK is the Alumil SF85. Alumil is a Greek systems company offering very high specification bifolding doors and other glazing systems. Their SF85 has excellent technical specifications, outstanding proportions and goes up to 4 metres high.

Kawneer bifolding doors.  The Kawneer name has a global reputation providing their glazing systems in some of the most famous buildings in the world.  The Kawneer AA3720 is hard to find in the typical showroom.  Kawneer doors are manufactured and installed by the most experienced and professional manufacturers and installers.  Their expertise is in commercial and complex work they don’t sell directly to the public.

Senior Architectural Bifolding Doors.  Senior Architectural is one of the biggest independent systems companies in the UK. Like Comar or Kawneer, they remain highly specified in the commercial market.  Presently Senior Systems offer the AliFOLD and PURe FOLD suite of doors.  Both versions are well designed, attractive, provide a wide choice of sections and are very adaptable doors.

Senior doors also offer the glazing bar option for those wanting a steel look door with multi-panels. Senior bifold doors we say deserve much more consumer consideration.  You won’t easily find them in your average showroom – contact us, and we can put you in touch with a local installer.

SAPA Crown Doors.  A well priced bifolding door featuring a continuous hinge.  SAPA has a great name in the UK for aluminium doors and windows. In 2020 SAPA rebranded as Technal in the UK

Schuco and Reynaers doors.  The first choice for anyone wanting a more luxurious door from two of the best known brands in the world. Take a look and see how Schuco and Reynaers doors compare with each other and with the Origin bifolding door as well. 

Bifolding doors to match PVCu windows. 

Many homeowners are adding bifolding doors to their homes after they’ve installed new PVCu windows.

Liniar has an excellent reputation for PVCu windows and doors.  The Alumina door from Liniar provides a  sculptured profile to replicate the aesthetics of Liniar windows.  Alumina matches other sculptured PVCu windows too.  The new Stellar  Bifolding Door also comes in this finish.

One of the many advantages of this product is that it’s available in a foiled finish to match modern PVCu windows.  Also, its sculptured profile makes it the only bifolding door on the market that can match the Liniar range of PVCu windows and doors. This gives a matching bifolding door.  But if you’re looking for a bifolding door with all the advantages of aluminium, yet can create a similar look to PVCu elsewhere in the home, Alumina by Liniar is well worth considering.

Another great feature around doors like Alumina is how they benefit installers. Using PVCu beads, these doors are one of the fastest to glaze compared to bifolds with aluminium beads.

Aesthetics

The aesthetics of bifolding doors will vary from system to system. Therefore it is advisable to consider whether you want a door with profiled or rounded edges to the frame and door leaves, or a more flatline and contemporary appearance. Bifolding door aesthetics vary greatly. Do your research, shop around and find the bifolding door that will best match your home.

For grey colour doors, the flat appearance of some systems looks better. A wood effect aluminium bifolding door looks more authentic with rounded profiles.

For those wanting the slimmest possible sightlines, there are also all glass bifolding doors available that consist of virtually no aluminium framing. These offer far less visible aluminium frame than many standard and popular products.

Some bifolding door systems come with a limited choice of profiles. Other brands give you contemporary or traditional looking doors.  Examples include a chamfered door or a contemporary flat-looking door. Warmcore doors by Synseal Systems offer four different profile combinations.

In our experience, security, performance, thermal efficiency and product guarantees are significant to consumers.  But at the same time, aesthetics is highly important and will often be the critical decision when buying a bifolding door.  Therefore, it has to look right.

Maximum and minimum sizes of doors

Bifolding door systems vary in what minimum and maximum door leaf sizes you get. Some bifolding door systems stop at 2500mm to 2700mm high. Other door systems come in a maximum height of 3 metres. Some, like Sunflex go up to 3.5m high.  As a result, bifolding doors for larger openings create either floor to ceiling glazing when closed or even large open apertures in the summer.

Therefore, if you have a particular requirement, make sure you seek advice. If your local bifolding door suppliers offer a system at smaller maximum sizes, look at other brands.

If you’re designing a new extension and looking for wide and tall doors, you’ll see some products stating their maximum door sizes. Many of the best bi folding doors like Schuco or Dutemann come with wide and tall door sizes.  Some systems report big sizes but not always possible.  For example, a 3 metre high door is possible with narrower door leaves. A wide door leaf may need a reduced height.

Quality of the Running gear and hardware.

The running gear is one of the essential components in a bifolding door.  Bifolding doors with the weight on the bottom are more reliable than those bifolding doors that “hang” from the top. A bifolding door is a complex product and reliability is essential. The best bi folding doors come with reliable, quality running gear taking the weight on the bottom with guides at the top.

Some bifolding door manufacturers use proprietary running gear. Other companies have developed their running mechanisms, unique to their doors.

The same applies to door handles and hinges. There is diversity in the quality, and some bifolding door manufacturers differentiate themselves with the high quality construction, design and feel of their door handles. The door handle, the intermediate pull handles between the doors remain visible at all times. Therefore you have to be happy with how the handles will look.

Likewise, other bifolding door manufacturers offer pull handles that are more concealed than others or recess entirely. SAPA provides a bifolding door with a continuous full-height hinge. Origin doors offer safe finger gaskets that can colour match the rest of the door. Schuco offers excellent, distinctive door hardware that is instantly recognisable. There are differences between all systems, so again shop around.  Most doors on the market have finger protection between the doors.

The bifolding door low threshold

The threshold on bifolding doors is important as most people want as flush as possible threshold.

The dimension of the low threshold will vary by millimetres from system to system.  Find out more about Thresholds on Bifolding Doors.  Therefore always speak to your builder, door provider and architect if you’re looking to achieve an ultra-flat look to your door threshold.

Again beware the marketing literature. Many systems will state they offer a slimline or ultra-low threshold.  Always check the small print that this threshold is suitable for external applications as many systems offer this very low detail with doors intended for internal use only.  As a result, you may find weather tests and security tests carried out apply to a product with a standard threshold.  This doesn’t necessarily mean your doors will leak or be easy to break into, but it is worth checking if this factor is important in your buying decision.

We have mentioned Aluhaus’ Alufold doors in this article already for their engineering and quality.  Alufold bifolds come with a weather-rated low threshold.  Alumina bifold doors do too.

Guarantees and Service Levels for bifolding doors.

Almost all bifolding door brands provide good guarantees. You will find differing service levels and customer care from company to company.  Some manufacturers give a guarantee to their installers, assuming a correct door installation.  Installers offer their own guarantee (typically ten years).  All of these guarantees will largely depend upon the door system. Remember glass or glass with integral blinds often comes with only five years guarantee. Check with your bifold door provider.

Therefore there is no disadvantage to the consumer with doors supplied and guaranteed via several parties.

Origin Doors have a 20-year guarantee.  Aïr 800 bifolding doors have a 25-year guarantee – one that no other bifolding door company offers.  This does not imply that a door with ten years will be any less reliable.  It merely means such companies who make their doors have greater control of all their processes internally, involving fewer parties. A guarantee is a deciding factor for many choosing the best bi folding doors.

It’s important to understand that guarantees will vary between a window company installing bifolding doors and your builder fitting them.  The supply process is complicated, so always check what guarantee you get depending on who fits your doors.

Buildings often buy doors a trade supplier or trade counter.  Trade Suppliers do not offer much beyond the powder coating and hardware guarantee.  Consequently, the company fitting your doors give you a better guarantee.  Bifold doors from the builder will be cheaper than an installer, but the latter gives you better peace of mind.

Summary

This article aims to help you understand the various features of some of the best bi folding doors and what to consider. We have given some background about the different parts of the supply chain. And how the guarantees work, along with some general questions relating to bifolding doors.  Therefore there is enough information to ask the right questions, and fully understand the answers.

A reputable and experienced home improvement company will be able to advise you about bifolding doors fully.  Similarly, a company providing a range of bifolding door systems will explain the features and benefits of each.  Our advice is, be happy with the product, the price and your chosen supplier.

Of course, there are many other brands of bifolds and some quite impressive brands like Sieger from IQ Glass, Fineline and others with a different design, functionality, specification and cost.

For homeowners seeking the very best high-end doors whether in design, engineering, customisation or product quality we consider the following brands in a different category compared to others.

Centor
Solarlux
Sunflex
Sunparadise
Frameless Glass Curtains
Schuco

Contact us whatever your questions about bifolding doors.

Every year this website helps thousands of consumers and those in the trade.  We provide answers to bifolding door questions, finding the right product and from the best suppliers. Whatever your question about finding the best bi folding doors or where to source them, please contact us and we can help you.  Our service is free.

The post Who Makes The Best Bi Folding Doors? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Our Glasswin aluminium front doors review takes an in-depth look at the quality, specifications and features of this new brand. We also explain how this product offers better profiles, options and colours than popular brands such as Origin, Smart Systems Designer and Spitfire doors.

In creating this review, we’ve seen the products in detail, spent time with the people behind the brand and studied the various technical details. Moreover, these doors use aluminium systems we are also very familiar with. As a result, we are able to provide information about these too and why they matter when buying a new aluminium front door.

Information about the design of aluminium front doors

The aluminium front door market benefits from all manner of mid-range and high-end front doors. You get some great modern designs as well as traditional styles. Also available within multiple designs are high security locking options, excellent handles, accessories, colours and functionality.

Aluminium front doors have traditionally consisted of a basic door leaf and frame. It’s the same product you’d get with a glazed side door or French doors. In place of the glass, is a decorative aluminium panel. This door design still exists and creates a reliable, attractive and still popular front door. The Origin front door uses exactly the same design as just one example.

In recent years systems and independent manufacturers have made the classic (internally beaded design even better. Dutemann with their Haus door is an excellent example this. Their doors perfect the art of making these doors look flush, more modern and altogether more luxurious. They’re not the cheapest on the market, but they’re certainly one of the best.

Spitfire has done the same with the S200, arguably a comparable product to the Glasswin front doors we review here. The Origin door, of course, has the name, manufacturing quality and reputation. However, Origin hasn’t exactly designed a front door system. Instead, they’ve used the frame and sash profiles from their best selling OB-72 bifold. But the trained eye can spot it’s bifolds made as front doors. For instance, the somewhat irregular corner arrangement and oddly meeting Q-Lon seals. It’s a good door but there are better solutions in the market.

And this is where we come in reviewing and introducing Glasswin. Glasswin doors genuinely offer some impressive specifications over the mainstream brands. Here’s how.

Glasswin aluminium front doors review. General Information

Glasswin doors, made in Germany come in six different design versions. Five of these are full aluminium differing in design and specifications. They range from a quality-made classically styled door right up to ultra-premium luxury door using the best in aluminium profiles locks and hardware.

As well as aluminium there’s a hybrid product offering an excellent and better solution to the popular composite front door. It’s often the case we are asked about composite front doors with an aluminium frame. Few companies provide these. The Hybrid Al-Upvc uses a full PVCu system with all the insulation and low-cost benefits this provides. On the outside, however, the PVCu panel and profiles are fully cloaked in aluminium.

First of all the outer frame comes with a powder coated aluminium trim, cloaking the PVCu. The obvious benefit over a composite door is it does away with the often unsightly welded corner. Instead you get a neat aluminium to aluminium joint. Then, the door panel gets the same aluminium cover treatment. From the outside it looks like an aluminium door. Moreover this product comes with the colour advantages of aluminium we explain later in this Glasswin aluminium front doors review.

A superior powder coated finish to most aluminium front doors.

One of the best features of these doors is the textured powder-coated finish. Glasswin doors come as standard with a colour treatment powder coated finish some doors only offer at a high premium. Other systems don’t offer the colour option at all.

The better powder coated finish looks the part on aluminium profiles. It’s slightly mottled to the touch, rougher and more tactile. It is also exceptionaly durable, tough and scratch resistant.

Another advantage of this finish over even the best standard matt colours is its consistency. With any powder coated colour some irregularities in the surface finish are inevitable. This finish provides an altogether better look.

Some of the best aluminium systems on the market.

Anyone doing research around the best aluminium brands invariably comes across Reynaers and Schuco. Both these aluminium systems have longevity, pedigree and an incredible range of windows and doors.

Glasswin doors come made with Reynaers or Schuco profiles. Consequently, these doors come with a choice of two stand-out aluminium profiles. Both brands have an excellent quality perception. As well as this they’re both some of the best for profile design, quality and thermal insulation.

On the upper tier Platinum and Diamond Schuco door range, the doors also come with full Schuco hardware. A particular feature of these doors is the fully concealed door hinges, sitting neatly within the door frame and sash. Not only do they perform the obvious job of the door hinge. At the same time, they’re invisible from inside or out with the door closed.

Triple or Quadruple Glazing as standard

Many of the Glasswin doors come with triple and even quadruple safety glass as standard.

Importantly, the glass make-up depends on the specification and security rating required.

The doors come with either toughened glass throughout or a combination of toughened and laminated to the inner pane.

While triple glazing features prominently on many good brands of front doors, quadruple glazing is especially rare.

Comparing Glasswin Doors with Origin, Dutemann, Smarts and Spitfire.

There are many good brands of front doors on the market. However, in this particular segment, we consider the following brands as the most likely competitors. They’re also the door brands many homeowners come across in their searches for aluminium front doors and reviews. Therefore, we are comparing Glasswin with Dutemann, Origin, Smart Systems Designer doors and the Spitfire S200.

It’s worth pointing out as well, that besides the brands themselves, only Glasswin doors come in six different versions. By versions, we don’t mean panel designs. Instead, we mean models. While Spitfire doors come in the S500 too, the nature of this door and its designs border on too high tech. Furthermore, the S500 comes with Swarovski crystals options we consider too flamboyant for the mainstream UK door market.

Glasswin provides the most flexibility in frame depths and system choice for the door frames. All the others show only one frame depth and one system. The only thing you don’t get with a Glasswin door is double door sets. That said, the demand for double doors in most replacement situations isn’t commonplace. Our understanding is that there’s also no low threshold option with Glasswin either.

An explanation about Origin front doors within this review

We’ve included Origin doors within this comparison mainly for how popular this brand is, as well as it’s visibility in the marketplace and popularity. Crucially, the Origin door as good as it may be remains a basic aluminium door leaf ‘glazed’ with a 28mm panel. We always remain balanced and fair in our reviews. Make no mistake, we love Origin products. However, for front doors, Origin is not in the same category as the brands compared here on design and panel arrangement.

Whilst all the doors use a door system with a separate panel, it’s what they do with the panel that sets these brands apart from Origin. All the other doors compared here offer a thicker, better and stepped panel design giving a flush look. Even better, Glasswin, Dutemann and Smarts offer a minimal edge giving the one-piece look of a luxury front door.

Origin retains the most basic of door designs in its front doors. The glazing method is no different from the glazed PVCu and aluminium doors of the 1990s. And as we mention at the start of this Glasswin front doors review, the Origin door is, essentially, a bifolding door system with a decorative panel instead of glass. All the other brands are dedicated front door systems.

However, being fair to the excellent brand name that is Origin, you do get colour matched seals and the 20-year manufacturer guarantee. You also get the legendary Origin quality and incredible lead times.

How much do Glasswin front doors cost?

Using a standard size door in a typical grey colour with multi-point locks and the popular four square contemporary design door prices are typically as follows. Of course, do bear in mind there is no RRP on these doors and individual supplier profit margins, door costs, installation charges etc all affect the price. Our approximate prices include VAT and fitting.

Glasswin Doors from £2780

Dutemann from £3500

Spitfire S200 from £3200

Origin from £2800

Smart Systems Designer Door £2500

Glasswin front doors review. What we think.

A frustration of ours is the high cost of some aluminium front doors. While it may be true there’s a lot involved in the process, prices often approach a new timber door. And with some products these high prices don’t make sense when you know how it’s made and with what components. This is especially the case on front doors still using an unglazed door and fitting a decorative panel.

Glasswin front doors offer several compelling reasons to consider them. First of all, are the Reynaers or Schuco profiles and Schuco hardware on the Platinum and Diamond models. Glasswin, as well as the Dutemann Haus Door, gives homeowners a new front door having undoubtedly two of the best aluminium profiles on the market. Importantly, combine these with the textured paint finish as standard and the top brand Winkhaus or Schuco hardware and you really do have a high-end product at a remarkable price.

The price of these doors gets even more appealing when enhanced to the RC2 maximum security product. Then you get better glass, hinge bolts, even higher security cylinders and even key code locks.

The Spitfire S200 comes with less features than the Glasswin on U-Values, locking points other areas. The Dutemann Haus is probably the better like-for-like competitor.

We’ve seen these doors and can tell you the quality is excellent. Neat corners, quality panels, premium door handles and door accessories. The range of panel designs is also excellent and varied. For homeowners looking for a new aluminium front door promising genuine options, several models and all manner of panel styles, these are hard to beat.

All of the door brands in this review benefit from a sole manufacturer and excellent quality but as you can see, vary in features in many ways.

More information about Glasswin Front Doors

Our advice is to see the doors, try them out, get an explanation of how they come together. We’ve seen hundreds of brands over the years and for front doors, Glasswin does come with impressive looks, construction and high specifications at a more mid-range price. Use our contact form to find out more and where to view the products.

The post Glasswin front doors review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Our Solarlux Cero sliding doors review takes a look at this highly advanced slimline door. Cero capitalises on the current trend for minimalist architectural glazing and slimline aluminium. The Cero door sits amongst an elite set of sliding door products offering genuine architectural glazing. It also offers sizes at or beyond room heights, a virtually frameless look and symmetrical aesthetics throughout.

This article takes an in-depth look at the product. It also explains why you should consider Cero by Solarlux if you’re looking for contemporary sliding doors.

Cero Sliding Doors Review. General product information

Designed for standard or large-scale glazing, Cero sliding doors are only made in Germany by Solarlux. They’re only available through a specialist network of Solarlux installers. There are several well-known brands of slimline sliding doors. Solarlux Cero offers altogether different aesthetics, design and individuality compared to other slimline sliding doors. And with multiple brands using the Cortizo system, Cero provides something genuinely different from the similarity in design of other slim sliding doors.

First of all, is the design of these doors. Most projects don’t need doors weighing one tonne and up to six metres high or 15 sq. metres overall. However, when a door is capable of these extreme sizes it demonstrates a number of features.

One of these is the engineering behind the product. Large heavy doors need smooth sliding, high performance and given their cost, a long service life. Another is the technically advanced design enabling these large sizes and, crucially, with safety. Then it’s time to consider who makes these doors as well as the credibility and manufacturing excellence. Solarlux has all these features with Cero sliding doors and across its entire product range.

One of the best engineered sliding doors on the market

Therefore, Cero sliding doors not only sit in the upper echelon of sliding doors, by design, brand, performance and quality. They also come from one of the best German brands there is. It’s only when you move these doors, you get to understand what’s behind them and why they’re a luxury door.

Of course, anyone presently choosing slimline or high-end sliding doors for their project would invariably go see the product in a real-world environment.

The sliding action with soft opening and closing is exceptional. We’ve spent time with these doors. How patio doors slide and move, especially any large and minimalist design, is one of the best indicators of quality. So while many brands come with great specifications, moving the doors and how they feel genuinely separates quality between brands.

The technology behind Solarlux Cero Sliding Doors

Typical of contemporary sliding patio doors, Solarlux Cero provides high-end glazing, superior functionality and desirable panoramic sliding doors.

Each door panel integrates perfectly with it’s surround frame. These doors are mostly intended for projects needing a flush appearance at the head, sides and door track. You can use Cero as a replacement for existing doors. However, you won’t (without modification of the existing opening) get the flush and symmetrical look these doors are known for.

The system is designed around the inline sliding door design. with each panel sitting on a single, double or triple track.

Self-ventilating structurally bonded doors

Of course, you also get the thermal insulation within the aluminium profiles. What you also get that’s rare amongst structurally bonded doors is ventilated glazing. Other structurally bonded doors such as Cortizo, Infiniglide, Origin and others, fully seal the glass to the aluminium surround. Cero doors come with the glass bonded to the aluminium while also allowing full air circulation around the glass unit. The benefit is temperature regulation around the glass, improved ventilation and drainage.

Minimalist appearance right down to the fixings

Just like the Solarlux bifolding door, Cero comes with engineered cover plates at the head and sides. These not only help create a flush all aluminium look, they also hide the door fixings, often visible with other slimline bonded doors.

The minimal appearance extends to the outside too. These doors you can’t operate or gain entry from the outside unless the doors are motorised. For some, this feature will be necessary. However, bear in mind these doors are designed for homes and new extensions. These projects typically have more than one rear access door at the property.

Consistent and symmetrical sightlines throughout

When installed flush within the structure Cero sliding doors give the same consistent 34mm sightline through the entire door set.

These symmetrical lines also give Cero doors 98% glass coverage or 98% daylight transparency.

Integrated and protected door rollers

Each door panel comes with four hidden and integrated rollers. These sealed, self-lubricating rollers ensure the door panels stay light and smooth when sliding.

Another design feature is the cleaning brushes integrated into the doors. Importantly, these keep the wheels and the track clean and free from dirt and debris.

Contemporary, inline door handle

The minimalist handle on a Cero sliding door offers simple yet maximum security locking.

An inline design also provides smooth locking action. The single handle rotates 180 degrees and engaging the door keeps securely at the head and threshold.

While you won’t find the four or more locking points of other slimline sliding doors, security is nonetheless excellent. First of all the locking mechanism sits on the inside behind the glass line. Other door locks sit in the middle of the door profile. Another benefit is the option of multiple keeps along the head and track of the door set. As a result, it’s possible to move the door to an open position and secure it. This open-secure feature is generally not available on inline sliding doors.

Other security features with doors include an alarm sensor system on the glass. This optional feature makes the user aware of any door movement or attack on the glass itself. The doors also come with an upgrade to maximum security RC2 or RC3 and Secured by Design.

Cero sliding doors review. Some technical details.

The technical excellence of the Cero sliding door is not just about figures, dimensions and performance. It’s also about some clever design features. That said, sightlines do matter to people buying these doors so we start with these.

The outer frame sightline, assuming this product is face fixed and not hidden into the wall is 75mm. Therefore it’s a good starting point comparing this with something like the Cortizo slider at 44mm. It’s not the slimmest at the surrounding frame, but these doors mostly fit within newly built apertures. Another way of looking at it is in reverse. Fit the frame hidden into the wall and your sightline is effectively 0-75mm!

For the panels and panel joints, the sightline here is 34mm. Again it’s not as slim as a Cortizo system, Origin OS-20 or Infiniglide 3 or 6. Where this door is better than these other brands is you don’t get the very deep mullion of the others. Looked at side on, it’s better.

The frame itself varies in size depending on the number of tracks. A regular two panel door only needs the standard double track frame at 197mm. A triple-track extends out to a hefty 303mm. This is large, but not unusual for multiple panel doors of this type.

Air, wind and thermal transmission depend on the specification of each individual door. Do bear in mind these are not ‘standard’ doors. When buying Cero, considerations include:

• Your building location
• The exposure and position of the doors, for instance, corner location, high level or coastal.
• The overall sizes of the doors are also taken into account.

Sliding Doors tested to extremes

Cero sliding doors also meet the required European standard DIN EN references. These include resistance to wind loads and protection against driving rain. Also included is air permeability and resistance to repeated opening and closing. There are, of course, security standards including RC2, sound insulation and thermal transmission.

What does this mean? By all means dig deeper into the technical specs. Essentially, this door is extensively tested. As just one example, should you go for very tall doors, the mullions have steel or aluminium inserts inside, further adding to the overall strength of the 34mm profile. For extreme sizes they also come at the same 34mm size, but deeper.

Other technical specs or options include:

• Door closing monitoring with connection to a building security system
• Optional insect screens

You’d expect a door like this to be high tech. But it’s also incredibly beautiful to look at.

Design options with Cero Sliding Doors

The sliding and opening configurations with the Solarlux’s Cero product allow multiple configurations using single, double or triple tracks. The choice of a double or triple glazed model also determines the maximum panel sizes. Typically Cero II double glazed comes at panels sizes of 3m x 4m width or height up to 12 m3. Cero III is triple glazed. This model comes at panel sizes up to d 4x6m with or height, up to 15m2.

Two panel designs come with either both panes sliding or one fixed and one sliding panel. Three panel designs offer come with each door on it’s own track stacking together. Of course, when designed to slide into a wall pocket, sliding doors disappear from sight.

Finally, options exist for glass-to-glass corners and also moveable or fixed corner posts.

Cero doors provide the architectural grade glazing, a feeling of space and transparency. Of course, you’ll get the flush floor track and minimal step when designed into a new extension.

These doors also come in all manner of sliding combinations up to five panels all sliding on individual tracks for optimum flexibility.

Cero sliding doors review. What we think

We’ve seen a lot of sliding doors over more than thirty years. Therefore we know there’s no terrible door on the market. Time and again we say even the cheapest doors will be reliable when well made and fitted. But that’s all they do.

Where luxury products differ is in how they look and how they feel. Where highly engineered products differ comes down to the very small, often hidden details. Solarlux we know already to be one of the very best brands you can buy. They have absolutely everything engineered down to a fine art. And, you want any new contemporary door to be pretty. These are gorgeous, as are the Solarlux bifolds.

Of course, looks are subjective. But for anyone in the market for a high-end door, go see this door. This Cero sliding doors review can only tell you so much. You also find out how Cero is made, and what’s involved in the whole process, start to finish. Moreover, moving them you’ll instantly feel the quality. Turn the elegant handle to lock them and you’ll feel it’s smoothness. Slide the doors to fully open and the discreet stops provide reassurance.

Of course they’re not the 20mm sightline doors. Make no mistake the crop of current 20mm sightline sliding doors are great. However, as an expert aluminium website our advice is this:

Don’t obsess over 20mm sightlines. On large sliding doors they do not matter.

Doors with 34mm sightlines like Cero, 35mm of the Visoglide, or any of the multiple products ranked in order of slimness at the mullion, It’s about how the overall door looks not how thin the middle section is. And none we know of offer the consistent line all round like the Cero. So while you may get the 20mm mullion you want, the aluminium elsewhere is thicker.

See, try out and find out what’s behind Cero sliding doors.

Minimalist, contemporary sliding doors with the best in German design, technology and manufacturing. These technically excellent sliding doors enhance any new extension. Moreover, they create a statement piece slider, promising reliability, weather performance and ease of use. There are many excellent brands of sliding patio doors. Cero, has the quality, build, fit and finish as well as the brand. They’re one of the best sliding doors available today.

In the same way many other goods we buy are bought for reputation, quality, brand kudos, and even to impress the neighbours. Cero is one of these. Go see these doors.

Cero sliding doors review. More information

The technical nature of these doors means trusting an installation to one of the specially trained Solarlux partners. These expert door companies ensure a precision installation with a quality guarantee.

Use our contact form to get in touch and find out more. We can help with more information and where to view or buy Solarlux Cero sliding doors.

The post Cero Sliding Doors Review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

The second lockdown in November 2020 is targeted on the retail and hospitality sector, rather than the entire economy as was the case in March. Messaging from government has been clearer than in March, in that they want manufacturing and construction to remain open.

The specific guidance for the November lockdown is on the .gov website.

As we interpret what has been specified in the guidance, and in some cases stated by ministers, the situation appears to be:

1. Factories and manufacturing can remain open (subject to existing requirements of a COVID Secure workplace).
2. Showrooms to be closed
3. Tradespeople can work in homes (subject to the existing guidance around social distancing and not working in people’s homes if they are self isolating).

In respect of going to work verses working from home, the guidance states that

And the legislation says that it is permissible to go to work where it is not “reasonably possible” to work from home. Which arguably could cover a sales person work in a showroom to access a CRM system where this is not possible remotely. Even though the showroom is closed to the public.

So to answer the most asked question…

The guidance, and a tweet from Robert Jenrick, make is clear that yes window installers can work during the November lockdown.

Is it clear that showrooms must close?

The regulations do not explicitly state that showrooms displaying replacement doors and windows have to close, instead they refer to “restricted businesses” and “restricted services”.

Some businesses are arguing that if Hardware stores, building services and garden centres are explicitly allowed to remain open, then a double glazing showroom can also rely on those exceptions to keep open.

So in the absence of clarity in the regulations, you can turn to the guidance. Which while a little clearer it is still not explicit. The message in the guidance is however pretty clear that non-essential retail should close.

So, the question is probably open to a degree of judgement and willingness to argue a point of law. In deciding whether to open or close we would suggest that a business should consider:

• Their understanding of the legislation and guidance

• How would staying open look to their customers and wider community

• How confident are they of arguing their case in the face of enforcement.

It’s probably safest to consider the specific circumstances of your business. If your business is in an industrial unit and you genuinely sell building supplies to the trade you may have a stronger argument than if you’re in a lockup shop full of display units.

The post Can Window Fitters Work During November 2020 Lockdown? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Buying aluminium front doors means enhancing a property with great designs, slim, strong frames, excellent security as well as improved energy efficiency. Our guide to some of the best aluminium front door brands gives more information. In this article, we explain more about security, insulation and the all-important aluminium panels making up most front doors.

What you should know when buying new aluminium front doors

Perhaps you’re looking to replace a dated front door or looking for the best product for a new build home. The range of front doors available in the UK today is substantial, as are the price points. Whether your new front door contrasts with your property or comes designed to work with its existing style, aluminium doors all meet this purpose.

If you’re happy with a budget door, these will give you a fit-for-purpose product. The better-engineered products give you more by way of quality, specifications, U-Values and engineering. Quality matters significantly when buying aluminium front doors.

The aluminium panel. Choose carefully

Virtually every aluminium front door on the market uses a decorative aluminium panel. First of all, it’s worth knowing that there aren’t the same standards to aluminium panels that you get with glass, doors and windows. Panels generally don’t fall under the same strict technical standards and requirements.

Glass comes with set safety standards. For instance, CE Marking and Declaration of Performance. BS EN 12150-1 is another standard around glass tolerances, flatness, fragmentation and the actual glass thermal characteristics. Then you have BS EN 1279 and this standard is about units passings tests for moisture penetration. Of course, many people already recognise a Kitemark as a symbol of quality. Glass units have this too.

Panels broadly speaking do not have anything near the standards expected of glass. A basic aluminium door panel comprises 0.6mm or thicker aluminium sheet, powder coated to a desired colour. These aluminium skins bond onto different inner cores. Some of these are basic polystyrene, others have a combination of polystyrene or timber. Some even have steel within the core.

What does this mean when choosing a new front door? In simple terms, a better front door product is the one using a full integrated door panel giving the appearance of a flush door. This gives you a much higher quality and better-engineered product than a door using a ‘glaze-in’ panel. The glaze-in method is no different from fitting a piece of glass.

You’ll get a better product, even if it’s more expensive, where the door is made as one unit with the panel. There are some very cheap aluminium door where the installer buys an unglazed door leaf and an aluminium panel separately from an alternative supplier. These tend to be the cheapest types.

As the image below shows, a quality aluminium front door looks flush, seamless and without the glazing line of one where an aluminium panel replaces the glass.

The glass you get in your new front door

There’s lots of marketing messages around how good the insulation of the glass is in the door panel. And mostly this is correct. Most aluminium door panels come with double or triple glazed units. Furthermore, all of these use toughened or laminated glass.

However, it’s worth looking deeper at the performance of the glass. If you’re looking at an excellent front door like Spitfire S200 or S500, the glass in these, even at 28mm or 40mm thick, this won’t be as good as a door such as the Glasswin front doors using quadruple glazing as standard. Glass doesn’t give you anywhere near the low U-Values of an aluminium panel. But if you choose a better performance glass unit, the overall door performance improves as a result.

What security means on a new front door

As you do your research around new front doors you’ll come across all sorts of high security messages. Secured by Design, Document Q, RC2, PAS24 and others. It’s easy to see a security rating or badge and presume your door is security tested.

The good news is, most good brands of front doors have a security rating. What you may not know is what configuration and specification of that same brand of door passed the test.

The door systems companies submit for testing is usually a particular type and with specific glass, hardware and perhaps security enhancements you don’t get as standard with your door.

Hörmann is another fine brand of front doors. One of many doors by Hörmann with a Secured by Design (SBD) rating is their ThermoPro Steel Entrance Single Leaf Doorset Range . But study the product submitted for testing and it’s a half or part glazed door, opening inwards, without a letterbox.

As another example, the Spitfire S500 also has the required security certification, RC3. This is for a door with a triple glazed laminated glass unit, fitted with Schuco hinges, a Schuco low threshold, Siegenia LFU Lock, Winkhaus three-star cylinder and Riechmann Handle. The model tested is a single door at 900x2100mm high.

The crucial information here is your door must be the same as the model submitted for testing. So if you’re choosing a door having perhaps an automatic lock or toughened glass. Maybe you require a different handle, or your door has a sidelight and is wider and taller than standard. Your chosen product may not have the specification of the model that passed the security tests.

Does this mean you get a more secure door or you should worry? No. However, it’s worth knowing when choosing your new front doors. Often you need to ask for the high security upgrade – don’t assume it comes as standard. The same applies to those doors offering automatic, keypad, finger-print and other locking options. Many front doors aren’t security tested with a letterbox. Check these doors have security certification with any optional extra hardware.

The good news is, a quality product comes with several high security lock types, whether operated by a key, mechanically, automatically or a handle. The door cylinder is also a crucial part of the lock experience and should be a highly rated type. Check for anti-picking, drilling and bumping.

The door hinges additionally play a part in the door security. Look for robust hinge designs, hinge pins and ask for an explanation of the components that make up the door set.

Understanding U-Values on your new front door

U-Values on doors and windows are widely marketed. The lower the U-Value the better the performance of the door. Aluminium panels actually provide excellent U-Values as a stand-alone product. In fact, many panels provide better insulation than glass. But don’t just take the performance of the panel as an indicator.

When reading U-Values for your new front door, it’s the entire doorset that matters, not the panel material on its own.

Other factors giving you good U-Values is the glass thickness and type. The aluminium profiles have a thermal break and this plays a part too. It’s also important to consider the overall thickness of the door leaf, glass and panels. A quality aluminium door will come with a panel well over the 28mm provided by the glaze-in types. The door leaf should also be more than 40mm thick on a good door brand, again helping achieve low U-Values.

Other things to look for when buying new aluminium front doors

Study the paint quality, look at the door joints, feel the quality of the door hardware. These are just some of the first visual clues to a quality product.

Check out how the glass meets up with the aluminium panel. Are the joints neat and seamless? The overall assembly of the door and how it feels is another great visual indicator of quality. Yes, aluminium is light and strong. However, a good front door won’t feel light and flimsy when closing. It should close with a reassuring thunk, feel solid and robust.

There are some great doors on the market and the quality is evident. Highly engineered hinges with security pins, even hidden into the frame and branded with Reynaers, Schuco, Yale, Winkaus or other trusted brand tells you there’s a great system and components in the door.

If a door brand takes the trouble to offer top brand hardware, quadruple glazing, high quality hardware, this should reassure you as to the quality and reliability of the product.

Of course, ask about the guarantee coming with the product and what exactly it covers. Some doors come with only a five year warranty on the glass despite being marketed with a 10 or 20 year warranty.

Finally for the paint finish. A good quality door will come with a paint finish professionally applied by a certified and quality assured powder coating company.

How much should a new front door cost?

A basic PVCu door is the cheapest type of new front door on the market. These are then followed by composite doors such as Door-Stop, Solidor, Truedor, and other brands. These typically start at about £1000-1200 supplied and fitted.

Timber doors usually start at about £2500 upwards depending on the material, hardware and other options.

Aluminium doors start at around £1500-£1800 for a good mid-range model rising upwards for the premium brands.

Above all, you get what you pay for. You need only to look at some of the faded front doors in new build homes to see a cheap product and how it looks after only a few years of use. Aluminium doors need minimal maintenance and a routine clean with a mild soapy solution to keep them looking new and fresh.

More information about aluminium front doors

Use our contact form to get in touch and find out more about buying a new aluminium front door for your home.

The post Buying aluminium front doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Steel-look sliding doors provide all the benefits of larger glass panels, better views and more light coming into a home. They’re also highly desirable in the steel-look with the applied bars, black matt finish and high specification safety glass.

Just like their folding sliding door counterparts in the steel-look, they promise the styling of heritage, Art-Deco or loft-style industrial doors. This article explains what you need to know about steel-look sliding doors and helps homeowners and the trade understand these products better.

Steel-look sliding doors. General information and introduction.

Whether referred to as steel-look, steel-replacement, industrial or contemporary, steel look sliding doors come in many different brands and systems. Designed right, these create an attractive and appealing sliding door with a timeless style.

How these sliding doors come firstly depends on the brand chosen. In most cases, it’s the slimmer sliding door models and the structurally bonded designs especially, giving the best looks.

Essentially homeowners or the trade looking at buying steel-look sliding doors get a standard slider with applied aluminium bars giving the multiple panel appearance. In most cases, the gearing, handles, locks and other components are the same as fully glazed doors.

Of course, there are steel-sliding doors available. You’ll get even thinner sightlines and a better-looking product aesthetically. But, steel costs a lot more and as a result, aluminium sliding doors provide a substantially cheaper solution. With the right product, the look is good and the end results effective.

Design details of steel-styled patio doors

The mullion sightlines of sliding doors are heavily marketed. 20mm mullions or interlocks are commonplace with a lot of system. However, unless the entire door set comes installed within the structure, this is the only area of the doors that’s at this dimension.

Many homeowners expect the same 20mm sightline all round. With most sliding doors it’s not possible. The frame is thicker all around, at the head, track and sides. One product while not marketed as a steel look door, having the same 35mm sightline all round is the Cero Sliding door, Made in Germany by Solarlux.

Take a look at our article listing the mullion sightlines of most sliding door brands available in the UK today.

Most sliding patio doors come with square flatline profiles, so broadly speaking they’re all contemporary.

For the glass, safety glass comes as standard in high specification glass units. As a minimum, these doors come with glass having a soft-coat low-emissivity coating, warm edge spacer bars and argon gas fill. 

Then the units have powder coated aluminium bars applied. Some products only offer one size. Others give you a choice. Expect to find bar sizes around 19mm, 25mm, 35mm or 40mm deep. Most choose the slimmest version but the bolder look suits the thicker bars better.

On the genuine steel product the glazing bars tend to be around 28mm such as the Innervision sliding door.

The glass units themselves you’ll find have additional spacer bars arranged in the same grid. The purpose of these is hiding the inside faces of the bars.

Structurally bonded steel look sliding doors will come factory glazed. Other products and subject to size get glazed on site.

Interior Steel-look doors.

Many of the pictures showing interior sliding doors show these without a track and a clear floor. In aluminium, these aren’t easy to find and the better products come in steel and single glazed.

A good installer can advise better, depending on the system they use. Where an internal track is undesirable then this particular range of sliding doors isn’t suitable. The best solution is a proprietary interior steel sliding door system such as the IDA Collection by Smart Systems, Vision Design Projects in London, Mondrian Glazing, Crittall® Innervision , Lakes Doors and many others.

Some of the best steel-look sliding doors brands

With so many different types, here’s some of the best styled sliding doors using applied bars. Remember, these are standard doors you can also have without the bars generally. As well as this, they come in multiple designs, open corner options, pocket sliding doors and with single, double or triple tracks.

Architectural Vision Sliding Doors

The slimline sliding doors range also in a steel styling uses the same system as Cortizo. However, for the slimline bars, Architectural Vision does it somewhat differently.

Their doors have the bars within the double glazed unit and made as part of it. As a result, you get the same grid-like appearance but the smooth glass surface on both sides. It’s very well done and it looks highly effective.

Cortizo Sliding Doors

The Cortizo slimline slider with a 20mm interlock is one of the best-selling in the UK and comes from many different manufacturers. It also comes in many brand names.

This particular system works very well as a steel-look patio slider but the very deep mullions aren’t to everyone’s taste despite the 20mm centre profiles.

Origin OS20 Artisan, Infiniglide Doors, aïr20 SL and many others all use the same system.

Maxlight Sliding Doors

The Maxlight product is exceptionally well made, and also comes in a slim slider with the heritage styling. It’s also quite expensive.

This is another highly credible door in the steel-look. If there’s a downside to this product, it’s the location of the lock, right at the bottom of the door at floor level. Most users won’t have an issue with bending right down to lock and unlock their doors. Others may find this cumbersome and not that convenient. It’s not a design fault. These doors are so elegant and slim, they’re too narrow for the lock body.

Sieger Systems Sliding Doors

The Sieger sliding doors range comes as the 45, Slim XL and Sieger Slim model variants. An excellent company with a great range of doors and general architectural glazing products. Their doors also come in a highly effective steel-look.

Sunflex SVG Heritage sliding doors

Our recommendation when looking at this door style is to consider the Sunflex SVG20, 20mm mullion or SVG30, 30mm mullion. By far their best feature is the desirable slim central section but without the heavy projection of the Cortizo product. The same sightline face on but without the bulk viewed at an angle from inside.

Even better with the Sunflex door is how, subject to the design, the sliding panels stack fully flush when the doors are open.

The Sunflex manufacturing quality and broader product range is what makes this brand of steel-look sliding doors ideal. All the great looks, none of the complexity and a prestige brand in the home.

Sunvista Slimline Patio Doors

Made in the UK and featuring a 19mm mullion, the Sunvista product we consider a better solution than a Cortizo slider. If you’re in the market for a 20mm slim sliding door, do check out the Sunvista sliding door too.

Neater stacking, a better threshold, a more specialist fixing method and it comes in more options. The steel look version looks great. You can even have it in a pocket sliding door going into the wall, and an open corner design.

Any other sliding door brand.

Sliding doors are easy to convert to steel-look. Therefore, any good installer or manufacturer can create these.

Therefore, whether you’re supplying Smart Systems Visoglide, Aluk patio doors, Reynaers, Schuco or any other sliding door brand. There’s no reason why any of these can’t be customised in the steel look. The above list is therefore relevant to other doors available to homeowners and the wider trade.

More information about heritage styled doors for homeowners and the trade

Unless it’s a genuine steel product, aluminium won’t give the exact looks you see heavily marketed. Given the popularity of this glazing style, there are even social media pages dedicated to it.

Do not be swayed by terms such as Crittall® style or Look. Neither are they in the style of the genuine Crittall product nor will you get the same looks and feel. Even the handles and hardware are different. Steel is steel, aluminium is aluminium. The advice, therefore, is to see the products, study the fine detail, see what style you like best. Above all, always use a good provider of these products.

Use our contact form, get in touch. Installers and the trade we can put in touch with the right trade suppliers of steel-look sliding doors. Homeowners we can help with installers.

The post Buying Steel-look sliding doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Homeowners and the trade often contact us asking about alternatives to Panoramic slide and turn doors. The slide and turn Panoramic product is one solution for those looking for an alternative to a concertina door. However, some of the reviews around Panoramic doors are not favourable and you may struggle to find doors with the same design and operation, but in a different brand and system.

Here we provide some of the slide and turn alternatives to Panoramic doors available from other suppliers, with a brief explanation of the products.

Aluminium alternatives to Panoramic Slide and Turn Doors

The main difference between slide and turn doors compared with folding sliding doors, is their method of opening and operation.

Bifolding doors come with all the panels connected together and operating in a concertina fashion. Slide and turn doors have a design where each panel is independent. At the end of the door set is a master door, just like a bifold acting as a traffic door as well as providing the main locking point for security.

Unlike bifolding doors, slide and turn doors don’t have the intermediate locks and handles securing the other panels. Instead, each door slides to the closed position. Then, the final traffic door locks in position, compressing and securing the other leaves together.

There is no better product when looking at the concertina method of opening or the slide and turn operation. Each provides a different user experience. For instance, slide and turn doors such as the Panoramic and other brands allow independent moving panels. The advantage of these is ventilation. The image above shows the traffic door hinged open and the panels separated one by one, creating slats for airflow. Bifolding doors don’t provide this feature.

Another advantage of slide and turn doors is it’s only at the ends of the door set (either opening towards the left or right) that these doors take up any space. As a result, it’s possible to place furniture inside or garden furniture outside, right up to the glass. Opening the doors does not encroach on the space and many people like this feature. Therefore, arguably slide and turn doors are better where space is more limited.

Other brands to consider as alternatives to Panoramic slide and turn doors

We are not here to comment on the reviews of Panoramic doors, merely to answer the question of what alternatives there are to this product. Indeed, some people simply want slimmer doors than the Panoramic model, offering mullion sightlines of 145mm, but with the same slide and turn functionality and advantages.

For Clarity, the alternatives to Panoramic slide and turn doors here are exterior grade bifolding doors. Using the same slide and turn operation are other products. Examples include interior room dividers, canopy enclosure systems and balcony enclosures. Most of these products are single glazed, although double glazed versions are available.

Frameless Glass Curtains by FGC

The frameless slide and turn door by FGC in Kent and available nationwide. These are more luxurious and more premium alternatives to Panoramic slide and turn doors but you get so much more. No aluminium at the mullions, a substantially lower threshold, glass edges.

At the same time these doors come with all the security, weather performance and quality.

Monoslide 80 by Sunparadise Systems

Sunparadise Systems have a very clever version of slide and turn doors as a great alternative to the Panoramic version. They’re slimmer too at 126mm mullion sightlines.

The Monoslide 80 by Sunparadise comes with panels up to 1.5m wide meaning fewer door leaves. As well as this, it’s perfect for tighter spaces. The doors not only move around corners but also stack completely out of the way, giving you a true clear opening. Available for standard openings, open corners, sliding one or both sides and even creating a Z-shape extension. These are showpiece sliding doors and watching them move is a talking point in itself. Get in touch for more information about these very clever alternatives using the same independent moving panel design.

New Wave Doors

The New Wave brand is at the budget end of the market and works with the same design as Panoramic. They’re the thickest doors on the market here for sightlines but ideal for those wanting the lower price alternative.

Sunseeker Doors

The Sunseeker product is contemporary, slim and one of the longest established products on the market using the same slide and turn design. Available as double glazed products, Sunseeker doors come as single or double glazed versions, as interior room dividers and other versions.

Vistaline by ID Systems

Up there in the upper tier of slide and turn doors and also highly recommended as an alternative is the Vistaline product by ID Systems. It’s probably one of the best doors of this type on the market for sightlines, engineering and overall design.

Swiss engineering, incredible quality, thermally insulated and low U-Values. Vistaline doors come with just 45mm mullion sightlines also making them one of the slimmest and around half the sightline of regular bifolds. They also come triple glazed as standard.

More information about slide and turn doors

Homeowners and the trade can get in touch for more information about the alternatives to Panoramic slide and turn doors in this article as well as where to buy.

The post Alternatives to Panoramic Slide and Turn Doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Steel-look bifolding doors are every bit as popular as their French door steel-styled counterparts. They provide the signature look of slimline doors with the bars, a multi-panel look and totally on-trend styling.

Here’s everything for homeowners, builders and the wider trade to know about steel-look bifolding doors and what you get. Importantly, it also explains what to expect.

An introduction to steel-look bifolding doors

There are several descriptions around standard folding sliding doors styled like classic metal doors. The name steel-look or steel-replacement is, by now, well known but there’s other terminology such as Heritage, Art-Deco, Industrial, even Scandi or Hygge appears to be a trend.

We don’t like to use the term Crittall® styled or look as they are nothing like Crittall products. This iconic brand is the genuine article when it comes to these signature and top-of-the-line products. It’s also the best and the most authentic in every way. It’s not just Crittall but other manufacturers of doors and windows in steel. Aluminium offers a styling alternative to these but steel remains the best for sightlines, longevity, strength and desirability.

Therefore, while a full-steel bifold is costly and authentic, aluminium is substantially cheaper. And for most homeowners or the trade supplying bifolding doors, aluminium does the job well.

Design considerations for bifolding doors in the steel style

To the best of our knowledge, there is no specific steel-look bifolding doors brand. What you get is a customised regular door. As a result, for the familiar brands of bifolding doors, virtually all of these come with the option of a steel look with applied bars. Some go further and offer alternative hardware. Others do it even better.

First of all, is the choice of glazing bars. The thickness of these depends on the supplier/manufacturer and what they choose for their product. However, 19mm, 25mm or 40mm are the most common sizes of bars or thereabouts. They’ll always come in the same powder-coated colour finish. It’s also incredibly rare to hear of these coming off. However, it’s recommended a window cleaner is made aware to be careful when cleaning these doors and exercise care around the bars.

The glass units have additional spacer bars covered by these aluminium bars. The purpose of these is to hide the inside faces and materials used to apply them to the glass. In most cases, it’s the installation company fitting these bars to the doors on site. Rarely do they come factory glazed.

Additionally with design, you get all the functionality of a regular bifold with no loss of features. Installation is the same, as are all the options with configuration. Also available is the flush/low threshold.

Consider the traffic door on a bifold. This allows easy entry and exit without having to fold all the panels back every time, working just like a regular door.

Interior steel-look bifolding doors

Given the popularity of these products, there’s every reason to consider them inside the home too. Room dividers and partitions or to separate a conservatory from the main room. Most systems are bottom hung so you will always get a threshold at the bottom of the doors. There’s no specific aluminium system here, although there are top hung bifold models, but these too rely on a track.

It’s the same exterior grade bifold fitted inside the home too. Here, a steel product may provide the better solution for when the slimmest lines and looks matter.

Steel-look bifolding doors brands to consider

Here are some of the best example of bifolding doors customised or re-engineered in the steel look. You can visit the general bifolding door area of this website for more detailed information on the specific bars. Here we focus on this particular design feature.

Aluco steel-look bifolds

Using the Smart Alitherm and Heritage system, Aluco has done excellent work with steel look products. Their interior doors and screens are particularly special.

For bifolding doors, Aluco use Smarts that’s widely available but you also get access to the broader range of products. Aluco products come via a dealer network only and we can help put you in touch with these installers of Aluco products.

Duration Windows Heritage Bifold

For aesthetics and arguably a more genuine look in the classic metal style, check out the Duration Windows Heritage bifold.

This product is pretty special in using the heritage stepped sash similar to the one found on the hugely popular steel look French door design. The result is a more authentic look compared with the flatter profile on other bifolding doors using the standard sash profile.

The core product is the Visofold 6000 model, one of the slimmest folding sliding doors on the market.

We’ve seen this door, it looks very credible and recommended.

The Visofold 6000 Bifolding Door

Using the same system as the Duration Windows product is the Visofold 6000 bifolding door using the standard profiles and the applied bars. You can find out more about this ultra-slim bifold.

The Origin OB-49

Another standard bifold also providing a solution for steel-look bifolding doors is their slimline model. With 110mm sightlines, this is another product up there as one of the thinnest bifolds for mullion sightlines.

This too, works very well in this style, albeit a standard door. The great thing about the Origin product of course is the renowned Origin quality and long guarantee. The personalisation options with Origin doors are market-leading as are the lead times.

The hardware is particularly good as are the lead door handles. The OB-49 uses the Hafi handles. They’re not a heritage style but they look just fine on this style of folding sliding door.

Schuco ASS 70 Bifolding Doors

The ASS70 Schuco bifold is another product widely used in the steel-style. 120mm sightlines, contemporary hardware and great design. Another great feature of the Schuco is the ASS 70 FD HD model. The door panels on this product go up to 1.5m wide giving a very distinctive wide look to this steel style.

It’s the slide and fold action on a Schuco bifold that’s particularly impressive as is the quality. You’re also getting a fine brand in the home with great reputation.

Solarlux Ecoline Bifolding Doors

The Solarlux Ecoline bifold is special. Exemplary design, highly engineered, it’s simply one of the best bifolding doors on the market today. As a steel look, it’s another to consider.

Made in Germany, superb build and quality, Solarlux is top-end for all manner of reasons. It’s also one of the slimmest at the mullions with a sightline of 99mm.

Again with the application of slimline glazing bars, Solarlux sets off any new extension or as a replacement to dated doors. Best of all is the knowledge you’ve got probably got the finest bifold door on the market installed.

Sunflex bifolding doors

Another superior bifolding door equally good as a steel look is the Sunflex product. The manufacturing quality and reputation of Sunflex is first class. They have some of the best bifolds with slim lines, impressive size capability and also Made in Germany.

The Sunflex product also comes as an equally impressive steel-look sliding door with the SVG slider range and with better sightlines and less complexity than structural bonded systems.

More information on steel-styled folding doors

There are, of course, many other bifolding door brands, all possible as steel-look bifolding doors. Above all, it’s the general bifolding door sightlines giving the best look. Some of the quality bifolds don’t come with the thin mullion lines of the brands mentioned here.

Overall, it’s down to personal choice which brand of bifold door in the heritage, Art-Deco or contemporary style works best. Of course, budget is a consideration as well.

Use our contact form, get in touch and find out more about brands, products and where to buy.

The post Buying Steel-look bifolding doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Launched in April 2021, the Origin OS-29 sliding door is an even slimmer model in the Origin range of sliding doors. This review gives more information about this modification to their existing OS-44 and OS-77 product.

OS-29 isn’t a brand new sliding door. Instead this slimmer mullion option provides a solution for those put off by the price and complexity of structurally bonded doors, typically with a 20-24mm mullion.

Information about the new Origin OS-29 sliding door

Joining the existing range of inline sliding doors OS-44 and OS-77, the Origin OS-29 sliding door uses the same design and technology. The only significant difference is the reduction in the middle mullion on patio doors with a two or three panel configuration. All other frame details and dimensions remain the same.

The door comes with an inline sliding operation, thermally insulated profiles a standard track arrangement and available double or triple glazed.

Suitable for new build or replacement sliding door installations, OS-29 comes as two, three or four panel sliding doors with a double or triple track arrangement.

Anyone familiar with the existing range is getting the same door.

By far, the introduction of the OS-29 gives Origin an important product within their range. Not only does it complement their OS-20 Artisan model-based using Cortizo, it also creates a number of solutions for end-user customers and the trade.

• A solution for those wanting the Origin brand in a more slimline style
• A sliding door without the cost and complexity of structurally bonded versions
• A product where guarantee and overall product reputation matter
• Those liking the existing product proposition but wanting thinner mullions

“One of the slimmest sliding door systems in the UK”.

The Origin website mentions this door being one of the slimmest sliding door systems in the UK.

Context is everything with claims about sightlines. It is in no way one of the slimmest in the context of overall sightlines. Many brands are slimmer both in terms of mullion sightlines, overall frame depth, head, track and side jamb face dimensions.

Most if not all of the marketing messages around slimness relate to the door mullions. As a semi-dry glazed system, the OS-29 is certainly amonst the slimmer mullion doors, at 29mm. However, also using the same bonding method at the mullion, there are slimmer doors. Here are just three:

• Sunflex SVG20 with a 20mm mullion
• Edge 2.0 by ID Systems also with a 20mm mullion
• Vision sliding doors provided by YES Glazing Solutions with a 24mm mullion.

The reality is we are talking millimetres difference. Moreover, the marketing messages around sliding door sightlines are beginning to confuse buyers and in our view bordering on misleading them too, implying they’re buying an ‘all-round slim’ door. They’re not.

For those specifically interested in the mullion sightlines of patio doors, you can see who makes the slimmest sliding doors in the UK whether dry glazed, bonded or semi-dry glazed.

Why slim doors aren’t always slim

Virtually every sliding door on the market has a thicker surround frame, head and track than the thin mullions. Homeowners often contact the website expressing disappointment at getting doors expecting the same sightlines all around. Unless a door is to be fixed within the structure hiding the surrounding frame, this is not possible. It’s not even possible with truly frameless systems at the mullion such as FGC’s slide and turn door. This too has a thicker surround frame.

The thicker frame is also essential, housing lock bodies, rollers and other key components. Maxlight sliding doors do offer very slim frames at the sides, but also the inconvenience of having to bend or kneel down to floor level to lock/unlock their doors. Great doors, but not the most practical for everyone.

Understanding dry glazed versus semi-dry glazed sliding doors.

Generally speaking most conventional sliding doors come with the dry-glazed design. These doors are manufactured as frames without the glass. Glazing the doors happens on site after first installing the doors.

Structurally bonded slimline doors differ. These rely on the glass for its strength and integrity. All slimline sliding doors with a sub-30mm mullion usually come with this bonded design. They’re manufactured around the glass units. As a result, they’re more expensive, are harder to handle and installation is more complex.

Semi-dry glazed doors is a combination. The thicker surround frames are strong enough but the slimline middle mullion isn’t. Therefore, only this middle mullion is bonded to the glass.

Therefore, like the Sunflex product, the new Origin OB-29 sliding door comes with a partially bonded design. It’s necessary because thin profile sliding doors need this additional design feature for strength at the mullion as well as protecting against wind deflection. Weather sealing and overall security also play a part.

What does this mean for the end user customer? In short, not much other than the price, functional and aesthetic differences between all the many sliding door brands.

Our advice is always to consider the thicker profile doors. There are some truly phenomenal products on the market with engineering, design, look and feel. We’ve the benefit of seeing thicker framed doors installed in homes and the look is spectacular – don’t obsess over mullion sightlines. They don’t matter that much.

Consider doors by Schuco, Reynaers, aïr, Dutemann Glide-S, Visoglide and Visoglide Plus as just some excellent examples of the thicker profile doors.

Features of the Origin OB-29 sliding patio door

As mentioned, the slimmer sliding door offering by Origin has the same features as their existing doors. Some close up images of the handles and hardware you’ll get on the OS-29. We’ve not seen the actual product yet, but these are from the OS-44/77 models using the same.

This new slider by is essentially an existing OS44 and OS-77 inline sliding door with a slimline mullion. Handles, colours, configurations are broadly exactly the same.

Of course, you get the exemplary Origin quality, guarantee and excellent lead times. The other advantage with any Origin product is it’s nationwide availability compared with other products not always available everywhere.

The one advantage of dry glazed or semi-dry glazed doors on the market is also coming with a lift and slide operation. Unfortunately, this is not a feature Origin has yet to incorporate into their doors.

For overall door sizes, Origin’s sliding doors generally meet the needs of most door openings. They don’t go as wide or as tall as other brands on the market, typically restricted to around 2.6m high. Comparable doors go up to 3m wide or tall on a single door panel.

For those looking to get the most out of their sliding door with the minimum amount of panels, check out the brilliant sliding door made by Dutemann, the Glide-S. Dutemann doors go up to 6.7m wide in just two panels.

Other sliding doors to consider alongside the OS-29.

The Origin OS-29 sliding door, if focused only on this mullion sightline now sits with the following brands worth comparing alongside it. Here we are talking about a few millimetres differences at the mullion.

And again bear in mind the availability of a lift and slide solution, Origin doesn’t provide. As well as this Origin doors only go up to 2.6m high.

• Visoglide sliding door, 35mm mullion
• Aluk BSC 94, 45m mullion
• Schuco ASS70 PD, 30mm mullion
• Sunflex sliding doors, 20mm and 30mm respectively
• YES-Glazing Vision doors 24mm
  

Summary and Conclusion.

Pricing affects the choice of many sliding doors on the market. This is especially true with the 20mm and ultra-slim models. Homeowners are frequently surprised and put off at the high cost of slim and bonded sliders. However, as explained, making, delivering and fitting these is more expensive.

Where Origin’s new door will work well is providing the slimmer mullion without the complexity or cost of the full structurally bonded systems. Anyone having mullion sightlines at the top of their list when buying new sliding doors, with a more mid-range budget, can consider this product.

Origin, therefore, joins the other manufacturers and systems now marketing the slim lines of their doors but specifically at the mullion.

Don’t disregard the thicker profile dry-glazed sliding doors. Functionally they provide the same, if not more. Mullion sightlines really don’t matter as much as they’re marketed. On smaller patio doors aesthetics and mullion profile sizes may matter. On larger sliding doors this 10-20mm difference between slimline and standard sliders (not to mention a significant difference in price) make very little difference on larger openings. And remember the low/flush track is available with these too.

More information about the Origin OS-29 sliding door

The best way to understand all these different doors is to go see them. Or use our contact form to get in touch and we’ll put you in touch with suitable suppliers and help with choosing sliding doors.

As with all Origin products, lead times, service, manufacturing quality and reputation are first class. Four reasons alone why these doors will enhance an property renovation project.

The post Origin OS-29 sliding door review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

On Thursday 16th April, it was announced that lockdown restrictions in the UK will continue for “at least” another three weeks.  What does this mean for the fenestration sector? Is it time for business to consider, and indeed, plan a return to work?

In this article, we set out a point of view that it could be possible to return to work, nor should we criticise or guilt-shame those systems companies, manufacturers, installers and the related supply chain that continue to do so, under new even safer methods of working and an entirely new set of challenges for us all.

What’s happened up to now?

During the week of 23rd March, fabricators, installers, systems companies and others in the supply chain made the decision to close.  Some made quick decisions and ceased operations.  Others understandably took slightly longer to close down.

It’s important to remember a small business is able to close its doors faster than a large organisation.  Sizeable companies with substantial operations, logistics, plant and transport cannot just shut the doors with an uncontrolled shutdown.  A few on social media chose to criticise businesses taking longer to shut down – all they had to offer by way of meaningful debate was accusations of profiteering. 

Emotions and feelings during the last three weeks have run high. Some hold the view that absolutely no work should be done until it is safe to do so.  Others are respecting the need to continue to provide work to NHS and essential contracts. 

Fenestration covers Residential and Commercial work.

The Government has not placed construction, including fenestration, under the same restrictions as bars, restaurants and leisure. The Government guidelines are available to see, even if they are open to interpretation. We respect and understand anyone’s decision to cease operations entirely too.

Industry bodies such as the Glass and Glazing Federation, Certass and FENSA have all repeated Government advice and guidelines. So have construction bodies and trade organisations. It is clear from this guidance that the intention is that construction and manufacturing should be continuing wherever possible.

It is a personal or business decision whether to follow these guidelines and continue trading or cease operations until business owners feel it is right to return to work. 

How are installers adapting?

Installers quickly adapted to change.  Installation businesses adopted online quoting and remote working.  Some came up with innovative ideas to keep their customers engaged such as video chats using their showroom.  We helped with setting up live chat for the first time, helpful hints for consumers to measure their windows at home, advice on helping them continue with their home improvement projects and more. 

Others have done excellent work reaching out to potential customers through social media and we’ve seen incredible examples of genuine consumer engagement on social media.  

We’ve seen installers securing work online and placing this business with their suppliers via their online ordering systems. We’ve been contacted routinely by installers asking where they can buy fabricated windows and glass as they have orders to place and contracts to carry out. You cannot blame any business for making the right decisions for them.

As it stands now, the guidance states that only essential repairs and maintenance should be carried out. In some circumstances, this could include replacement windows and doors, although it might not cover “improvement” work.

What we also know to be true is installers continuing to sell and take deposits for work. So we should not assume, as some do, that there is no retail work being done. Aside from essential maintenance and repairs to dwellings, there is plenty of self-build and complete home renovation continuing to happen. Again something those with less knowledge of our industry forget – it’s not just local replacement window work.

Bearing in mind also, that plenty of installers do work in commercial settings and non-dwelling environments. So they could very well be continuing to work.

With a further three weeks of restrictions, what is crucial is installers engage even better with potential customers. Even professional home improvement magazines, events and websites (yes they’re part of us) are doing what they can to keep the engagement going with potential customers. 

How are trade manufacturers and suppliers adapting?

The trade manufacturer, systems company and component supplier face a different challenge. Can you run an operation while ensuring safety and social distancing advice?

What do you do if you have orders and contracts to fulfil? Particularly contracts for hospitals and accommodation for key workers. Once again some systems companies and manufacturers came under fire mainly by those that don’t know some basics.

• Systems companies also have related products supplied to other sectors, not just construction.
• Powder coating businesses don’t just paint window and door profile.
• Hardware companies don’t just supply window people.
• There are group companies serving other sectors and the entire group needs to remain open.
• Extruders extrude anything in aluminium or plastics for all manner of things not just for windows or construction.

We’ve seen several trade manufacturers over the last few days reaching out to the wider industry in an effort to gauge feeling and decide whether they should reopen. It’s been brilliant to see communication between the supply chain and even competitors. It’s a shame that this good work is not recognised by one or two industry opinion websites. 

The fenestration and related industries are coming together. Everyone is wanting to do the right thing for their business, customers and their staff.  Companies are seriously looking at how they can return to work while putting in the changes needed to keep everyone safe. 

Some systems companies who closed have re-opened to service essential construction. Others have remained open because their work is providing profile to manufacturers and contractors involved in essential work and construction. 

We’ve even been contacted by UK suppliers of products made abroad telling us they are open for business, albeit with showrooms closed. Do your research and you’ll also find installers saying they are open and very much trading.

The sad thing is, some of those working have chosen to remain quiet for fear of backlash and accusations of profiteering. Others hold the view that nobody is forcing them to close, orders are there to be fulfilled and remaining open for business, doing their best while observing Government advice and the advice of their trade bodies. 

The other reality is there are installers with orders that would dearly love someone to make them. They have not stopped selling and are keeping their businesses going.

Manufacturers should listen to their customer base and the entire sector outside of their customer base and region to get the best possible picture of what’s going on and help them make a decision.

Has consumer demand dried up?

The subject of residential installations and consumer demand has created some heated debate. Our view is no two residential installers are the same and that the key is to carry out a continuous risk assessment to evaluate what work can be carried out.

There is a distinct difference between the local predominantly replacement window installer and those specialising in extensions, high-end work and architectural glazing.

It would be wise to remember that an installer mainly doing local replacement window work and rarely working with new extensions is not going to give you the same feedback as an installer predominately working with new extensions or high-end glazing. They serve different markets and as a result, see things differently.

The same applies to a manufacturer making mainly residential products compared to the one making windows for many other sectors. Their feedback won’t be the same either.

Emergency or Essential Work

The regulations make it clear that work can be carried out in residential properties for essential repairs.  This exception applies for urgent work even if the occupiers are shielding (e.g. an elderly household). If the entire supply chain has completely shut down who will carry out this work?

Home improvements and why they’re not the same for everyone

It’s incredibly important that a continuous risk assessment is carried out and that nothing is done that could compromise someone’s health.

It’s difficult to imagine that two installers working in a two-bedroom mid-terrace property occupied by a couple with children could work in a way that follows the PHE guidelines.  So you can see why there is a restriction on working in people’s homes. But what does other ‘window and door’ work look like in practice?

1. An empty property being fully refurbished (i.e. not lived in) can be worked on.
2. Construction sites (presumably including self-build residential projects) are explicitly mentioned as being ok to continue working.  (presuming that everyone is following the PHE guidelines).
3. Other types of housing such as council property, new/refurbishment for social housing, student accommodation.
4. Many ‘retail’ installers also do commercial doors/shopfronts for non-dwellings, and we know right now where these are needed.

Why does this matter?  If the above scenarios are taken as examples then there will inevitably be a drop off in demand for work that can be completed during the shutdown period.

More likely, any drop in demand is going to be caused by uncertainty in the minds of consumers.  Probably driven by concerns about their household finances.  But this is not true of every homeowner.

But there is nothing to say that a home improvement business can not engage with consumers, even to the point of carrying out a survey and confirming an order.

Therefore, it is irresponsible in our view to consider all installers as the same and therefore presume they’re all in the same boat.  Their customer base, the nature of their work, the products they supply, the quality/price point of the market they serve are all different.

Again on social media especially, there is a message coming from some in our industry that all ‘windows are windows’ installers are the same with an at times, aggressive narrative from some with little understanding or experience just how broad-based fenestration truly is.

• While it is true many people have put spending on hold for employment reasons, others have every intention of continuing as soon as possible after restrictions are lifted. 
• It’s important to draw a distinction between general replacement window work and the new extension market. These customers are different as are the companies that service them. 

Windows and doors also go elsewhere

We’d also be wise to remember other businesses needing windows and doors as well as related suppliers to these industries. Our systems companies and related suppliers are needed by:

• Manufacturing of temporary homes
• Windows for park homes, boats and caravans
• Secondary glazing
• Fire screens and partitions
• Plant room doors, steel and commercial products
• Fire/Bomb/Protection systems
• And many many more

What does the data tell us?

Any business monitoring their website analytics during the last week of March will have seen a cliff-edge drop in their traffic and enquiries.  Even more exaggerated than the usual declines over Christmas and the recent political / Brexit related events.  

However, there’s undoubtedly been a slow return, not quite to “normal” levels but the volume of search traffic has definitely increased.  We have seen this on this site, as well as broad-ranging websites that we manage.  Insight Data has also reinforced this view in a post recently shared on LinkedIn and mentioning a consensus amongst manufacturers of wanting to return to work.

Some trade fabricators operating online ordering systems tell us they have so many orders backed in their systems that they are considering a return to work to handle these orders. And let us not forget the amount of stock some businesses piled up during the Brexit uncertainty. Yes, we need our supply chain but some have ample material to get through.

Is it possible for installers to return to work?

During any sort of crisis situation it is understandable that the ill-informed might retreat into a bubble and start using simple arguments to address complex issues; often based on a small sample of self-selected data. 

For any installer, fabricator or manufacturing business there are decisions to be made that are difficult and complex.  And ought to be based on as much fact as possible without being confused by misplaced emotional pressure.  These are difficult times and it should be possible to make business decisions without having to worry about baseless accusations of profiteering or insensitivity.

There is no one size fits all here. Every window factory or general manufacturer is different. Window manufacturers and trade suppliers face different constraints. Factory size, layout, manufacturing setup and their own material supply chain are all considerations. 

Also worth considering just because a particular fabricator or systems company has closed production, it could be a decision based on the volume of business that makes it viable to operate a production line. Which may of course change if the volume of business changes, just like it would for any manufacturing business.

Government has given guidance on what it feels manufacturing and construction businesses should be doing at the moment.  As a collective, we should all respect the right of businesses to make decisions based on that guidance without making assumptions about individual motivations or presume to know better than them.

The question of when or how to open for business is something for business owners/managers and their employees to reflect on, and for customers to decide who they trust to do business with.

And for those that can work from home they must, restrictions observed and everyone continuing to stay safe.

What do you think?

The point here is to engage in constructive and informed debate about the current situation and the best way out of it. Please add to the discussion and leave a comment below:

The post Lockdown extended by 3 weeks. What it means for the window industry appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Many of us involved in the fenestration sector will have seen from around 20th April, the intention of fabricators, suppliers to fenestration and services to re-open. Businesses are updating their website, their social media statements and also contacting their customers directly.

The opinion of whether this is a good idea continues to provide debate and we repeat our message of understanding and respect for those making the decision to open their premises or remain closed. But we also need to look at those choosing to open their doors objectively.

The purpose of this article is to look at the measures those planning a return to work are taking even if operating at reduced capacity. We also look to see what these businesses are doing by way of new processes to keep safe and keep producing.

Who decided to close first?

At the start of the lockdown businesses in fenestration started following a trend. Most did what they believed to be right in closing their businesses down for the protection of their staff and the public. But it’s also reasonable to consider others weren’t sure what to do. After all, order books were healthy, customers wanted their products. Did they even need to close? With exceptions, most made the decision to close their doors. Others as we know, serving essential sectors remained open.

For some businesses cashflow will have decided the issue.  With a serious reduction in sales looming hitting the pause button to evaluate what impact government assistance is going to have, as well as using the time to take stock of all the news and advice coming in.

Looking back at the general message during that time, it was very much closing for the safety of our employees and the public

The reasoning behind reopening

Fast forward to today and the ‘reasoning’ for opening companies now give will invariably be any of these messages

• The government wants us to keep business/construction going
• We need to open to service essential sectors
• There is no restriction on manufacturing under the current rules
• Our customers are asking when will we re-open
• We are putting in new measures and/or here is what we are doing

The Government’s guidance and their clear statement that business should carry on, are repeated and also cited as a reason by many for planning a staged, careful and safe return to operations. 

We created our own page on the status of fenestration businesses during the lockdown. This page is now showing more names and more businesses opening their doors.

So what’s changed?

Nothing. Nobody is bending rules neither are they being relaxed. And just like the rules haven’t changed, neither has the virus. What has happened over recent weeks is greater and better absorption of information, guidance and ever-improving advice.

We’ve simply had an evolution of understanding not a change in the rules.

Whether we agree with their purpose or viewpoints, The Glass and Glazing Federation, The Construction Leadership Council and many others have done their best to offer their members guidance and advice. Ultimately it’s professionals and experts most of us choose to rely on.

As a result, these business choosing to open have carefully and responsibly put measures and strategies in place to minimise the risk.

It’s also important to stress once again the diversity of the windows supply chain. Those businesses essential for the construction sector, new build homes and non-NHS work recognise a need for their products and services, even if their personal feeling is to stay home. Their solution is careful thought, planning, facing facts and coming up with safe systems of working.

Seeking advice from Health and Safety professionals and doing even more risk assessment and mitigation than ever before, we now see more and more opening their doors week commencing 20th April, 27th April or early May.

If, as it appears, the way we are living and working right now and the way we will live and work in the weeks and months to come is going to be different, then there is a point of view that businesses, manufacturing, processes and services need to adapt accordingly. Some are doing it now, others are waiting to see. However, it’s here for the foreseeable future and are those remaining closed going to be too late to make the necessary adaptions?

Are we forcing employees back to work against their will?

The question of what happens if an employer says “come to work” and an employee thinks that it’s unsafe to do so raises all sorts of employment law issues. And there’s no sign that Government departments intend to step in, when challenged about this issue ministers have repeated the mantra about PHE’s advice.  

Hopefully, a concerned employee would be able to offer constructive points of view that can lead to discussion and implementation of better practice.  Whether the lockdown continues as-is or changes, this is likely to be an issue that comes up.

Assessing whether to get back to work.

Even well-known businesses are now looking to get back to work and one of the most recent examples was B&Q.

Fenestration businesses large and small should watch what larger concerns such as B&Q and indeed the bigger organisations in our supply chain are doing. Why? Because the responsibilities they face, the planning, the deployment of new procedures and planning to re-open are arguably far more complex than a small-medium sized firm. Not to mention the bigger headache to deal with should it all go wrong. They are better placed than most to get the best advice and do things the right way.

Are new systems, processes and procedures realistic?

As we see it, B&Q like fenestration businesses choosing to open, assessed, considered, ran a trial, studied the guidelines and developed a system. The conclusion reached was they could responsibly open their business.

What is being done?

The ability of a fenestration-related business to open depends on a number of factors. The size of the factory, the proximity of benches, machinery, goods in/goods out and all manner of considerations.

For window and door manufacturing, there are ways one fabricator can make smaller products such as reasonably sized windows and single doors. Anyone who’s ever made, for instance, a single commercial door leaf will accept it can be put together by one person. Curtain walling, large sliding doors, bifolding doors and screens need a different approach to fabrication as does glass, extrusions and larger items.

People will rightly ask, how can you put these larger (2-man) products together while maintaining social distancing? One of the answers could be, the responsible fabricator has looked at the process and changed it. Every fabricator is different as we cannot assume they all work in the same way. Speak to systems companies setting up fabricators of their system and they’ll tell you no one factory is the same.

It is also true that owners of smaller factories will carry out their own assessments and conclude they cannot observe guidelines and social distancing. It is therefore best they stay closed.

Others have the benefit of space, changing the layout of the production spays and also seeing the advice of professionals. Above all, it is responsible, measured and careful consideration that allows a business to re-open in a safe and responsible way that’s most important.

In a factory environment these are just some changes businesses are making

People

• Investment in infrared equipment for taking staff temperates every day
• On arrival, self-certification related to symptoms and strict record keeping
• Changes to breaks, how they’re taken, when and by how many.
• New/ongoing training so members of staff understand at all times processes in place
• Enhanced supervision and ongoing shop floor checks ensuring staff remain compliant
• Photographic evidence and record-keeping of usage of PPE, of workstations and working practices
• Not shaking hands and more frequent hand washing

Equipment

• The purchasing of PPE equipment for employees
• The placement of new information signs throughout the premises
• Additional hand sanitisers at frequently visited areas, canteens, washrooms, receptions, clocking-in areas etc
• Each work-station with its own cleaning/sanitising including desks, keyboards and computer equipment
• Frequent cleaning of high-traffic objects such as doors to WC, canteen, kettles, etc

Processes

• The creation of new Risk Assessments and the adoption of safe working practices and policies
• Increased and routine cleaning, disinfection or professional cleaning of high traffic areas and frequently contacted surfaces
• Clearly marked distance points or lines throughout the production area
• Changes to hours of work, shift patterns.
• Batch cutting, machining or assembly to reduce the number of people involved with each separate process.
• Communication with/between factory staff using technology instead of face to face
• Keeping to the 2m safe distance

Procurement and Delivery

• Pre-despatch checks with the customer ensuring the delivery location also have suitable risk mitigation measures in place.
• Ensuring recipients are not displaying any symptoms
• Asking to see evidence of their procedures before making deliveries
• Investment in equipment to handle off-loading in place of staff
• PPE and cleansing equipment fitted out in delivery vehicles
• Enhanced cleaning of shared delivery vehicles

The implementation of all these new processes and procedures is challenging and daunting for many business owners. There is nothing to compare with this present scenario facing owners of any manufacturing and supply chain business. However, they’ll also be aware of how they’ve constantly needed to adapt to changes in regulation, health and safety and procedures generally throughout their business live.

Importantly, nobody has a patent or trademark on the above mentioned measures. They’re there for us all to consider using or even improving.

What about showrooms?

The retail slide of our industry faces bigger challenges given the public facing side of it and restrictions for working in people’s homes.

We are starting to hear from those with showrooms considering how they may plan a return to work. Once again there is no one size fits all. Showrooms by companies such as Express Bifolding Doors bear little relation to a small shop on the high street.

The intention of many installations businesses is to work on new-builds and unoccupied properties. There is no intention to carry out replacement window and door work right now. A reminder that not every installer is the same and some do very little replacement window work in the first place.

Conclusion

Communication is crucial. There is a strong argument for the manufacturing and logistics chains to come together and share information for the benefit of the entire sector. And we urge companies to consider this seriously.

Right now, it’s the sharing of information that will help many get back to work. We’ve seen incredible examples of businesses sharing and making available their operating procedures, risk assessments, guidance from industry bodies and even templates for those with a 3D printer to print visors. This sharing of information must also extend further, be it to colleagues and friends, suppliers, sub-contractors, and even industry experts and professionals.

Businesses planning to re-open need to consider government guidance, consider the opinion of experts and seek the advice of professionals they trust.

If ever there was a time to be sceptical of loud social media voices or double glazing opinion websites it is now. Unfounded predictions of doom and gloom or overuse of emotive sentiment and images add nothing to the debate and should be read with an inquisitive mind.

The post How the Fenestration Supply Chain is reopening appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Have you placed an order for new windows or patio doors and being told of a general glass and double glazing shortage? Are you being told of aluminium windows shortages too? The glazing and the wider construction industry is facing significant material and glass delays and a general problem with supply. This double glazing shortage isn’t just for aluminium, but PVCu, steel and timber windows. We explain the reasons why your new windows and doors are late and all the different parts of the supply chain affecting them.

Aluminium windows shortages and why the glazing and construction sector is busier than ever

First of all it’s worth putting some context into why this double glazing shortage and windows delays. The Covid-19 pandemic saw an unforeseen surge in all home improvement products. There are several reasons why:

• People working from home and improving the home for work and family life
• Significant household savings built up and spent on home improvements
• Homeowners like you, continuing to invest in their homes

It’s also worth remembering that the construction sector continued to work throughout the pandemic as did the home improvement industry, with tradesmen at the height of the pandemic allowed to work in peoples’ homes.

Above all, nobody could foresee that the Covid-19 pandemic would see a massive surge in demand for home improvement products. The home improvement industry, like food retailers and online shopping, has done well out of the pandemic. So here’s why thy your new doors and windows are late.

Why aluminium and glass demand was underestimated

Nobody foresaw a massive demand for home improvements at the start of the pandemic. In March 2020 the retail glazing sector mostly shut down expecting a nationwide slowdown. Why would anyone want new windows during a lockdown? The opposite happened and demand was higher than ever. At a time when most in the supply chain prepared for less work, demand shot up.

It wasn’t just consumers. Even the global aluminium raw material suppliers couldn’t have seen unprecedented demand. When demand goes up, so do the global aluminium billet prices.

You can’t blame uncertainty and pessimism at the height of a pandemic. People and business have had to adapt fast, deal with changing guidelines and regulations.

Glass shortages throughout the UK explained

There are critical glass shortages across the entire supply chain. Whilst the double and triple glass unit manufacturers are ready to make the glass. Their stock comes from the global glass processors supplying float glass in various thicknesses. These top-level suppliers also rely on shipping containers and you’ll probably have read about the global shortage of these. Even the ship blocking the Suez Canal affected supply.

Making matters worse for your window installer, delivery dates have stretched into weeks and their suppliers then raised their prices. These price rises are also attributable to increases in the cost of containers. So whilst your window and door frames may be ready, many suppliers are still waiting for glass.

You may be asking, why your glass isn’t made in the UK? It is. It’s the supply of the raw materials and flat glass sheets most glass manufacturers buy around the world. It doesn’t help that most of the major float glass plants in the UK have closed.

Does the global vaccine rollout affect your windows and doors? The requirement for the billions of glass vials for vaccines is likely to affect glass supply at the top level too.

Even the components glass needs are in short supply.

You may not think making glass needs much in the way of other components, but it does. Plastics! Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Monoethylene shortages are leading to factory delays.

Laminated glass is in high demand and the plastic interlayer needed for this glass type is in short supply. This plastics shortage is having an effect on PVCu windows of course as well as the polyamide thermal break in all aluminium profiles.

How hardware delays are affecting the double glazing shortage

Much of the hardware in your new glazing is also made abroad. Locks, hinges, patio door rollers, and smaller essential components. Again these supply issues create an aluminium windows shortage.

But doesn’t any window hardware get made in the UK? The answer is yes and a lot of it. The problem with just swapping one Made in China hinge for those made in the UK is certification. BSI, Kitemark, Security testing and other accreditations all rely on specific types of components in a lot of cases.

It’s not just aluminium. Foiling of PVCu windows creates their texture and colour. There’s a massive supply shortage of Renolit and other foils – essential to many window and door profiles.

Back to plastics demand. The polyamide thermal break essential in aluminium profiles is also in short supply. Without polyamide, aluminium profile producers can’t put the door and window profile together. No profile affects aluminium systems companies selling bars to the manufacturers. No profile means the manufacturer can’t make doors and windows on time. No profile means the installer can’t get your fabricated windows on time. Neither can you.

Why the entire manufacturing chain is affecting delivery of your new windows and doors

Door and window manufacturers throughout the UK are doing their best to mitigate the effect on them, their installer customers and you.

Many are trying to establish which are the most critical components and trying to locate these elsewhere. Others are doing their best to ensure ongoing supply. These door and window manufacturers rely entirely on the reliable supply of hardware, glass, plastics and many other components types, not just for making windows, but also for the smooth operation of their factories and machinery.

Lead times are longer than ever as a result of all these genuine factors. Typically, window manufacturing companies take between two to ten days to deliver standard colour windows and doors to your installer. Special colours and bespoke products typically no more than around two to four weeks. Lead times are up to nine weeks or more for some aluminium products, such is consumer demand, construction industry demand, combined with the lack of components supply and glass.

Understanding what your home improvement company is doing

A caring company will do their utmost to minimise the disruption to you. No business wants to delay your installation. They want to complete it, ensure you’re delighted and get paid.

Many are in ongoing communication with their suppliers, checking when products are ready and moving their own installation schedules to accommodate you as much as possible.

Others are looking to source glass and other essential components elsewhere even if it costs them more and not passing the cost onto you.

Many are not waiting for deliveries of products instead choosing to go and collect it.

How you can help

Be flexible. Obviously replacing a dated set of doors doesn’t cause you significant disruption compared with a newly built opening with a boarded-up hole for your new bifolding doors.

Be understanding. Your installer does not want to delay you, they want you to be happy. Rest assured they’re incurring significant costs right now and none of these is likely to be passed onto you. Whilst you may not care about other home improvers, others are experiencing exactly what you are.

Be curious and do your research. It’s unlikely anyone is spinning you a line! A search online will confirm an aluminium windows shortage, a double glazing shortage, global price increases and supply issues based on transport, containers, the workload at ports and many related stories.

Be calm. Don’t jump to leaving negative reviews about your installer and their terrible service. They’re doing all they can. They can’t control the multiple suppliers and globally sourced components that go into your new windows and doors.