Companies in Bedfordshire and beyond now have a simple choice when it comes to purchasing tinted HMG Paints products. As Barton Le Clay based Simply Coatings have completed the installation of a brand-new UNIT Tinting scheme. The UNIT Tinting scheme allows Simply Coatings to mix a vast array of colours
Swedish window manufacturer, LEIAB Windows, has joined Secured by Design, the official police security initiative. LEIAB, situated in Mariannelund, Sweden, is a bespoke manufacturer of high-performance windows and doorsets in composite timber/aluminium materials, manufacturing more than 50,000 products each year destined to a wide variety of residential projects throughout Scandinavia
Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. (ADS) has become an official Supporter of susdrain, the community for sustainable drainage created by CIRIA, the construction industry research and information association. Susdrain is a community that provides a range of resources for those involved in delivering sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). It provides up-to-date guidance, information and
Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, has been awarded a gold medal by EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. The gold award sees Arco improve on the silver rating it has held in previous years, with the fifth-generation family business improving its scores in
Both CaberMDF Pro and CaberMDF Pro MR from timber product specialist, West Fraser, are premium grade Medium Density Fibreboards developed for interior joinery: their uniform consistency offering all the benefits of timber, but without the natural defects. Due to their construction and smooth surfaces, CaberMDF Pro and Pro MR are
One of the largest groups of independent builders merchant in the UK, with in excess of 170 branches throughout the South of England, has launched a comprehensive cost of living support package for its employees. Some 2,000+ employees across the 20 brands of the Independent Builders Merchant Group (IBMG), will benefit from
Construction materials supplier Euroform has introduced a new direct render base board called Versarend®. An A1 non-combustible exterior grade board, Versarend® is cement based yet light weight with ‘score and snap’ workability, so is quick to install. Already tested with a range of polymeric renders, Versarend® has been tested by
ROCKWOOL has been accredited with the British Board of Agrément (BBA) Agrément Certificate for its NyRock® Rainscreen 032 product. NyRock Rainscreen 032 is a stone wool insulation product specifically developed for use within ventilated cladding systems, as well as sealed systems such as curtain walling. Manufactured using patented technology, NyRock
Tradelink, one of the UK’s leading windows and doors manufacturer, has invested heavily in a new factory in Mildenhall, Suffolk. With over 29 years’ experience in the windows and doors industry, Tradelink specialises in PVC-U and aluminium windows, doors, sealed units and conservatories. There are also timber alternatives in the
In more recent years, we’ve adapted to spending almost 90% of our time indoors and in the workplace. This lifestyle change means that we typically spend less time in natural light, so this has a huge impact on our circadian rhythms – our natural body clock that is responsible for
Companies in Bedfordshire and beyond now have a simple choice when it comes to purchasing tinted HMG Paints products. As Barton Le Clay based Simply Coatings have completed the installation of a brand-new UNIT Tinting scheme. The UNIT Tinting scheme allows Simply Coatings to mix a vast array of colours including BS, RAL, Agricultural and more for their customers. Furthermore, the scheme allows Simply Coatings to mix larger volumes of HMG Paints products and offer faster turnarounds for customers. Products that can be colour matched and tinted include 1K & 2K topcoats, undercoats and primers, as well as a variety of sheen levels. Darren Hardiman, Managing Director of Simply coatings remarked “We are delighted to be working with some of the best in the industry here at Simply Coatings and for our new investment it was an obvious choice to partner the Corob equipment with HMG Paints as we continue to grow the business in 2023 and beyond.” DTM, PVC, Wood Coatings and more Like many of HMG Paints distributors Simply Coatings are an independent family business and supplier & distributor of Paint & Protective coatings. Simply Coatings pride themselves in offering a range of products and full support from the moment customers get in touch until long after they have received their order. Along with the HMG Paints range which includes Direct to Metal Coatings (DTM), PVC coatings and wood finishes they offer a range of systems from various manufacturers. “The installation of the UNIT Tinting machine takes the offering from Simply Coatings to a whole new level, and will allow their customers faster turnaround across a wide range of HMG products.” added Roger Blinco, HMG Key Account Manager. “Darren and the Simply Coatings team have built a great business and the installation of the new HMG Mixing schemes shows their commitment to the customers on providing exactly the right product, in the right colour when they require it.” A wide selection of colours The new UNIT scheme installation is also backed up by the HMG ColourBase Colour Box, which contains over 2400 colour chips, displayed in chromatic order within 20 fan decks. The box allows distributors and customers alike to choose the perfect colour from a number of ranges including RAL, British Standard, Commercial Vehicle Fleet Colours, Agricultural, Afnor and more. Every colour in the box can be then produced across a number of 1K and 2K HMG products. Across the whole of the UNIT mixing scheme HMG offer over 70,000 colour formulations ensuring that customers can always find the correct colour for their project. Uniquely HMG Paints actually manufacture their own range of colourants which in formulations to create exact colour matches. Being a colourant manufacturer means HMG can ensure each colourants uses the best pigments on the market ensuring the perfect colours every time. As an independent paint manufacturer HMG Paints Ltd rely on a loyal, countrywide distribution network to supply and service customers. All of HMG’s paints are Made in Britain accredited and supplied across a number of industries including, industrial, commercial vehicle, decorative, defence, wood finish and arts & craft. Distributors are selected based upon their reputation and the Simply Coatings package of product and local knowledge makes them a perfect partner. Visit www.simplycoatings.co.uk to see the whole range of products available. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Swedish window manufacturer, LEIAB Windows, has joined Secured by Design, the official police security initiative. LEIAB, situated in Mariannelund, Sweden, is a bespoke manufacturer of high-performance windows and doorsets in composite timber/aluminium materials, manufacturing more than 50,000 products each year destined to a wide variety of residential projects throughout Scandinavia and the United Kingdom. LEIAB offers a choice of four window models, with a variety of frame and sash combinations to create 16 different exteriors and three interiors. All products are tailored to customer specifications, ensuring the right style and fit for each property. The most exposed parts of the window, the frame and outer sash, are composed of strong powder-coated aluminium fitted with weep holes. This prevents the window from rotting and ensures a superior life span. The interiors are engineered from dense timber with a high-quality decorative finish. LEIAB’s Secured by Design accredited products also include their timber aluminium composite door range, a selection available in double or single leaf, fully glazed, and offering a high level of security to the property. Johan Pettersson, LEIAB Windows, said: “By joining Secured by Design, LEIAB now have confirmation that their products meet the stringent SBD criteria, thus providing additional comfort to our clients by having this accreditation.” Alfie Hosker, Secured by Design, said: “I am delighted that LEIAB Windows AB have joined Secured by Design with their timber aluminium clad door and window range, and understand that they may be looking to extend this soon. I look forward to this being a successful relationship with them over the coming years.” You can find out more about LEIAB Windows and their Secured by Design accredited products at: Secured by Design LEIAB Windows Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. (ADS) has become an official Supporter of susdrain, the community for sustainable drainage created by CIRIA, the construction industry research and information association. Susdrain is a community that provides a range of resources for those involved in delivering sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). It provides up-to-date guidance, information and case studies that help to underpin the planning, design, approval, construction and maintenance of SuDS. The community of support is for all those – from flood risk managers and drainage and highways engineers through to planners, designers, landscape architects and developers – seeking to increase knowledge, confidence and the delivery of SuDS. Although a relatively new name in the UK, US-based ADS is a leader in the manufacture of corrugated thermoplastic drainage pipes and a specialist in water management systems. Its lead attenuation system in the SuDS environment is StormTech. Combining arch-shaped chambers with an innovative, integrated water quality treatment system, StormTech has been used successfully in over 50,000 projects worldwide employing in excess of 2.5 million units. In respect of their new relationship with susdrain, ADS’s UK manager Stuart Crisp says: “Our support for susdrain forms part of our commitment to provide class-leading information and solutions to the SuDS community, as well as improving awareness of our proven StormTech system. For instance, StormTech fully complies with the recently updated Design and Construction Guidance for foul and surface water sewers offered for adoption under the Code for adoption agreements for water and sewerage companies operating wholly or mainly in England. This means that water companies in England can accept StormTech when offered for adoption by developers under Section 104 Agreements in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991. Additionally, recent structural modelling to Eurocodes has demonstrated that StormTech SuDS attenuation chambers can be installed to the minimum and maximum cover depths that are detailed within the standard ADS installation guidelines, originally based on US Standards. Through susdrain, we hope to contribute to the knowledge base of SuDS practitioners and illustrate the viability of StormTech, based on the hard empirical proof now available.” For more information on Advanced Drainage Systems, visit www.adspipe.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, has been awarded a gold medal by EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. The gold award sees Arco improve on the silver rating it has held in previous years, with the fifth-generation family business improving its scores in areas like the environment, by improving energy performance reporting and setting of carbon reduction targets, as well as labour and human rights and sustainable procurement. The gold rating puts Arco in the top 5% of the 100,000 plus rated companies assessed by EcoVadis. In addition, Arco was also recognised as an industry leader, overall, by making the top 2% of companies rated by EcoVadis in its industry sector, as well as in the areas of sustainable procurement (top 1%) and environment (top 2%). Jim Harbidge, Head of Sustainability at Arco, said: “As a responsible choice of safety partner, Arco is very proud to have secured a gold medal from EcoVadis and that our efforts to continuously improve in sustainability and ethical performance have been recognised. “As a business, we are always striving to be the best at what we do, to lead in our industry and in the family business sector. “We will continue to take steps to achieve our ambition of being a platinum-rated business in the future, including increasing our alignment to external standards and accreditations, such setting science-based targets, and further improving our reporting to stakeholders.” The EcoVadis methodology framework assesses companies’ policies and actions as well as their published reporting related to the environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. Its team of international sustainability experts analyse and cross check companies’ data (supporting documents, 360° Watch Findings, etc.) in order to create reliable ratings, taking into account each company’s industry, size and geographic location. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Both CaberMDF Pro and CaberMDF Pro MR from timber product specialist, West Fraser, are premium grade Medium Density Fibreboards developed for interior joinery: their uniform consistency offering all the benefits of timber, but without the natural defects. Due to their construction and smooth surfaces, CaberMDF Pro and Pro MR are ideal for use where intricate detailing is required; plus, the boards are ideally suited to machining and surface finishing, as well as being able to accept high quality paint finishes. Both are easy to saw, drill and rout cleanly without chipping or splintering. Therefore, elaborate detailing is possible, while for the most artistic of interior designers, developers or builders, the boards will even accept foils and ornate veneers. The versatile panels are suited to shop fitting, general purpose joinery and furniture making, as well as wall panelling, architectural mouldings, and the production of doors. They are also frequently specified for exhibition stands, staircases and even fire surrounds, as well as in public buildings, banks and hotels. Then in terms of the product designation, the MR refers to the moisture resisting treatment and conditioning given to the CaberMDF Pro MR boards during their production, making them suitable for use in kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms or other situations where the environment is prone to high humidity. Ruggedness as well as accuracy of manufacture is also enhanced by the industrial grade’s superior screw and fastener holding over other types of panel product, thanks to the board’s carefully selected, high quality fibres and internal bond strength. At 1220mm wide, both boards are available in lengths of 2440 or 3050mm; and in thicknesses of 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 22, 25 and 30mm. For CaberMDF Pro, extra options include sizes of 1525 and 1830mm, plus 2745 x 1220mm with the longest board measuring 3660 x 1220 mm. For peace of mind, the boards also conform to European E1 emission standard, comply with BS EN 622: Parts 1 and 5, and carry the CE mark. To find out more about West Fraser’s products for housebuilders, get in touch with Dan Clarke – email Daniel.Clarke@westfraser.com or download product brochures from the housebuilder page of the West Fraser website https://uk.westfraser.com/housebuilders/ For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com/ Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the largest groups of independent builders merchant in the UK, with in excess of 170 branches throughout the South of England, has launched a comprehensive cost of living support package for its employees. Some 2,000+ employees across the 20 brands of the Independent Builders Merchant Group (IBMG), will benefit from a three-pronged package of additional support that includes a one-off winter payment, a ‘perks package’ and a special Employee Purchase Scheme(EPS). IBMG is making a one-off payment of £500 to employees this winter in an immediate effort to assist with the rising cost of living. Along-side this IBMG has also launched a Group-wide employee ‘perks package’, that has proven successful in saving £1000s during its pilot run throughout the Parker Building Supplies network. This package provides discounts for IBMG employees on a raft of daily essentials such as groceries, clothes, mobile phones, insurance and household bills. Finally, IBMG has a new special employee purchase scheme(EPS) that provides employees of the Group with exceptional discounts on IBMG’s vast range energy saving products, such as insulation and draught proofing – a key to longer-term security from rising energy costs. IBMG’s CEO, Martin Stables, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide this support. We forecast that the combination of these measures will immediately benefit and support our team. “These are extraordinary times and as a leading group of successful builders merchants, we feel it is important to support our brilliant employees throughout the business. The vast majority of our team have been with the business for many years. Everyone works hard, showing dedication to their role and we want to help them and their families even further at this challenging time. “From a winter payment and help with energy saving measures, to an extensive discount package to help with day-to-day household expenditures we hope to wrap our arms around each person in our IBMG family and provide help through this winter and beyond.” The support package is considered to be one of the most generous in the sector and has been hugely welcomed by all employees of IBMG. www.Independentbm.com Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction materials supplier Euroform has introduced a new direct render base board called Versarend®. An A1 non-combustible exterior grade board, Versarend® is cement based yet light weight with ‘score and snap’ workability, so is quick to install. Already tested with a range of polymeric renders, Versarend® has been tested by a number of leading render system suppliers. Versarend® has achieved A1 Euroclass reaction to fire classification, making it suitable for a direct render carrier board where a non-combustible façade is required, providing all other components are non-combustible, says Euroform. It is UKCA marked according to BS EN 12467:2012+A2:2018 ‘fibre cement flat sheets’ “Versarend® is particularly innovative, because it can easily be cut with a utility knife and snapped to size without the requirement for power tools as is usually the case with traditional render base boards, thereby minimising dust and noise, and greatly increasing speed of installation,” said Roland Culverhouse, technical product manager at Euroform. Versarend® is manufactured via a unique process combining Ordinary Portland Cement and a reinforcing matrix that enhances the workability and handling properties over traditional fibre cement boards. It is a 12mm board in sheet size of 2400 x 1200 that is compatible with standard stud spacings/layout. Versarend® is highly moisture tolerant and will not rot or degrade. For technical data visit https://www.euroform.co.uk/ Euroform has been developing, fabricating and supplying materials for the construction industry since 1995. Euroform specialises in ensuring fire and thermal compliance across its product range. Each product is supported by an experienced and knowledgeable technical team to provide advice and guidance. Based at Warrington, Euroform is part of Performance Technology Group an SIG Trading Ltd group of companies specialising in supporting the construction industry to meet acoustic, fire, thermal and vibration challenges. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
ROCKWOOL has been accredited with the British Board of Agrément (BBA) Agrément Certificate for its NyRock® Rainscreen 032 product. NyRock Rainscreen 032 is a stone wool insulation product specifically developed for use within ventilated cladding systems, as well as sealed systems such as curtain walling. Manufactured using patented technology, NyRock Rainscreen 032 has a more efficient fibre structure that increases the density of air pockets trapped within each slab. This results in an improved thermal performance when compared to traditional stone wool products. “Launched just a few months ago, NyRock Rainscreen 032 has already been well received by the industry thanks to the improved thermal performance it provides,” comments Lisa Stephens, Product Manager for the Building Envelope at ROCKWOOL UK. “With the BBA approval, architects and designers have independent third-party confirmation of the advantages that NyRock Rainscreen 032 brings to their project.” “The BBA provides services that drives quality and safety throughout the construction space, enabling innovation, risk mitigation and assurance from design through to completed build, and beyond” says Emma Wiles, Sales and Marketing Director from the BBA. “It is great to see more sustainable products entering the market such as this Rockwool product.” BBA approved NyRock Rainscreen 032 has a low thermal conductivity of 0.032 W/mK. It has proven acoustic benefits and is water repellent, yet breathable. Being manufactured from stone wool, NyRock Rainscreen 032 is classed as non-combustible in Euroclass A1. Stone wool is dimensionally stable and has been proven to provide the same performance for more than 55 years after installation.[1] For more information go to www.rockwool.com Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Tradelink, one of the UK’s leading windows and doors manufacturer, has invested heavily in a new factory in Mildenhall, Suffolk. With over 29 years’ experience in the windows and doors industry, Tradelink specialises in PVC-U and aluminium windows, doors, sealed units and conservatories. There are also timber alternatives in the comprehensive portfolio. The company, with WindowCenters across the UK, has been manufacturing in Mildenhall for over 15 years and the rare opportunity to acquire more premises arose. Stuart Judge, MD, takes up the story, “When we saw the opportunity for more space, we took it as we have introduced a new range of composite doors – SOTERIA. It made perfect sense to acquire more square metres in Mildenhall! We also needed to expand due to increased demand for our core products.” The Tradelink customer comes in many guises – a developer, builder, trade installer or homeowner – and, from the new premises in Mildenhall, all customers across the UK can be serviced. Andy Worroll, Head of Operations, comments “These are exciting times at Tradelink and everyone is looking forward to the future. The addition of our new dedicated door factory will free up valuable capacity at our other sites so we can focus on casements and new product launches. We have assembled a great team to assist with the transformation which will accelerate our manufacturing capabilities by around 20% across all product ranges.” For further information, please visit https://tradelinkdirect.com Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In more recent years, we’ve adapted to spending almost 90% of our time indoors and in the workplace. This lifestyle change means that we typically spend less time in natural light, so this has a huge impact on our circadian rhythms – our natural body clock that is responsible for our daily sleep-wake routine. This rhythm is heavily reliant on the amount of light reaching our eyes. Helvar is a leading provider of intelligent lighting control products and solutions and understands the impact light has on people’s wellbeing and functionality. The workplace’s human-centric lighting is the easiest way to support employees’ wellbeing, performance, and circadian rhythm, and thus prevent winter blues and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). As many studies show, light affects complex systems that govern the 24-hour circadian clock in the brain, which regulates not just our sleep-wake cycles, but also hormonal activity, digestion, and other important bodily functions. Lighting has a direct impact on our brain and our hormone balance via the retina in our eyes. The contrast, colour temperatures and effective spectrum in light are key to our circadian rhythm. If we don’t receive enough light, the happiness neurotransmitter serotonin isn’t released to the same extent. While this can be just a transitory case of the winter blues, for some it’s a sign of SAD with symptoms similar to depression. Studies suggest that 20% of us might experience a mild version of the winter blues, while 1-5% might be suffering from SAD due to the shortening in day length and lower light intensity. The winter’s shorter days and lack of sunshine and natural bright blue light affect people in the Northern latitudes. During the winter months, people leave their homes in the dark and then commute home again, in the dark. If they also spend all day in a workplace without enough bright light, it can affect most people’s dispositions. “Ideally, to keep or reset our circadian rhythm, we would receive lots of natural, bright, blue-enriched light at the right time of the morning. The open sky’s light intensities range between 10 000 and even greater than 100 000 lux with 4000-6500 Kelvin (pure white to bright blue colour temperatures). During the darker winter period in the Northern latitudes, this is not the case. Also, the lighting levels in an average working area can be a marginal 300-500 lux. This light intensity doesn’t provide enough bright light and contrasting lighting conditions during the working day. As people spend most of their time indoors e.g. at work, these places should support people’s wellbeing and body-clock needs – provide good quality light with variability to counter the effects causing winter blues or SAD during the darker periods”, describes Helvar’s Marketing Manager Tarja Jokiniemi in her blog about Winter Blues and Workplace Lighting. In the Helvar 100 – Discovering Brighter Spaces Event, Performance Scientist James Hewitt shared his findings on good lighting and circadian rhythm: “Inconsistent light-dark cycles related to our lifestyles mean that we are gradually falling more and more out of sync with our environment. In fact, in industrialised societies, our body clocks are becoming more delayed. We feel like it’s earlier relative to the earth’s day-night cycle, which means that it’s more challenging to wake up in the morning and harder to get to sleep at night. This delay might be explained by weaker Zeitgeber time cues related to a smaller contrast between light and dark in our environment.” Fixed, traditional lighting isn’t designed to support our wellbeing. It lacks the ability to tune lighting levels throughout the day as optimal lighting conditions would also require variation in hues and intensity. Helvar’s modern human-centric lighting controls, however, offer dynamic lighting features including brightness and colour temperature controls. By incorporating these dynamic features in a workplace, a human-centric lighting system more accurately emulates natural light, therefore supporting the circadian rhythms of everyone using the space. To read the whole story, click here. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
