‘Bright Sparc’
TimberWindows.com wins Business Technology Award
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The engineered timber window system
company, TimberWindows.com, recently picked up another award,
this time for ‘Best Use of Technology in Business’.
The Bright Sparc Award ceremony, which took place in Milton
Keynes on 14th May, was held by the Sparc Technology Network
(www.sparcmiltonkeynes.com) which supports technology-led
organisations and innovators.
TimberWindows.com, which also won the G07
Specialist of the Year award last year, was shortlisted from 60
applicants. The company was chosen for transforming the
traditional timber industry business model with cutting edge
web technology. Chris Brunsdon, Managing Director of
TimberWindows.com says, “The judges were impressed by our
innovative web solutions developed by our dedicated in-house
team, with success shown by our sales, up 71% in April 2008
compared with April 2007. Visitors to the website also reached
record levels of over 34,000 in April. Full credit must go to
Robert Franks, our IT Director, for translating the
requirements of the window market into such a user friendly and
comprehensive web application.”
TimberWindows.com is a virtual business
model, unique in the timber and window industries.
There’s no showroom or head office to add to overheads,
making it a lean, modern business. Using a password-protected
domain, all communication with its customers is conducted
through the website, with services from lead generation to
order tracking. In a few clicks, Registered Installers can use
the website to design doors and windows for customers and
generate a professional quotation for their clients. Homeowners
can also explore the full product range through the website,
helping them to ‘self-specify’ their requirements.
Tel: 0845 652 7300
Sliders UK joins Network Veka
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Leading patio door manufacturer Sliders UK
has been accepted as an affiliate member of the respected trade
organisation Network VEKA. The network is a powerful body of
more than 140 independent companies committed to raising the
quality and integrity of the windows, doors and conservatories
industry. Acceptance into the network is subject to rigorous
vetting throughout the membership, as joint director of Sliders
UK Mike Spain explains,
“Network VEKA not only runs a regular
audit of staff training and manufacturing quality but it also
surveys our trade customers to monitor how good a job we are
doing. It will be a great way for us to maintain our high
standards and build upon our reputation.”
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Karen Lund, Membership Development
Executive at Network VEKA, commented, “We are pleased to
accept Sliders UK into Network VEKA. It’s great to have
another company joining us which has such excellent core values
and customer care policies. I am sure that Sliders UK will
represent what the Network stands for.Ê We are looking forward
to working with them and their customers. ” Ê
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Fabricators and installers that become
Network VEKA members benefit from the recognised credibility of
being part of the network. Other advantages include the
obligatory low cost ten year insurance backed guarantee for all
installers to offer to their domestic customers, consumer
satisfaction surveys, finance packages and leads generated via
national marketing campaigns.
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This year Network VEKA members will carry
out more than 16,000 installations to the value of over
£65million.
Tel: 01772 698222
Spectus helps Bison form Perfect PVC
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In January, Yorkshire-based fabricator
Bison Frames branched into the retail sector with the help of
Spectus to form Perfect PVC Ltd. At the same time, Dennis, Mark
and Martyn Tetley, the directors of Bison and Perfect PVC,
decided to make Spectus the company’s sole supplier of
vertical sliders, casements, French, bi-fold and patio doors:
“Now we can offer our customers the complete Spectus
range, in the full range of colours and finishes,”
explains Dennis.
“The vertical slider makes up 50% of
our business and the feedback from our customers is very
positive. The Spectus vertical slider is aesthetically pleasing
and is versatile and easy to manufacture. Spectus helped us
with the design of new retail literature and advertising for
Perfect PVC. Their all-round marketing support is great. With
Spectus, we can now offer the best range of colours including
the ever-popular cream, woodgrains and the new white woodgrain
foil which virtually no one else in the market offers.
“This will be a year of substantial
growth for Bison. Many people in the industry seem quite gloomy
but 2008 is proving to be a good year for us already. As the
retail side takes off, our trade side is expanding nationally
with a new trade rep for the North.”
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Having an advanced management system to run
any business is a prerequisite, and for leading supplier of
doors, windows and conservatories, Brackenwood Windows of
Basingstoke, the Adminbase management system has proved
invaluable! The Ab Initio system was installed at the turn of
the century to replace an existing system, which Managing
Director, David Medcraft readily admits, was simply not able to
cope with the anticipated growth of the company … and
with the threat of the Millennium Bug uppermost in
everyone’s mind at the time and its impact upon existing
computer systems, the decision was made to invest in Adminbase!
“In 1999, the industry was concerned
about the impact of the changeover to the 21st century so in
anticipation, we decided to upgrade our existing management
system to one that we knew had a proven reputation, excellent
performance and the ability to cope with our demands,” he
comments. “And that proved to be the Adminbase system
from Ab Initio.”
The system has truly proved its worth, with
Brackenwood using it in every aspect of the company’s
daily operation, from lead generation to contract management.
Adminbase collates, stores and retrieves information at the
click of a mouse and has significantly streamlined all
administration. Everyone in the company has access to the
system from the sales team to the financial, operations and
service departments. The system has the capacity to record
customer detail, products, finance details, ordering
information, fitting information, produce invoicing and control
and issue purchase orders.
“Throughout the year, we hold many
functions and events for the local community and for our
customers, including open weekends and involvement in
Enterprise Week,” continues David. “The Adminbase
system is essential for ensuring that letters, invitations and
all associated marketing is up-to-date synchronised and sent to
the intended recipients. Simply, it has made our lives so much
easier and allows us to maintain our reputation across
Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey as the best in the
business!”
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Swisspacer, one of the leading warm edge
suppliers, has invested in a new manufacturing facility. The
company has seen sales grow significantly over the last two
years due to demand for the high performance spacer bar from
its expanding network of sealed unit manufacturers across UK
and Europe.
To keep ahead of its customers needs,
Swisspacer opened the new facility in Uhsmannsdorf near
Dresden, Germany, which will increase output by 30%. Swisspacer
forecasts continued growth for its top-rated warm edge spacer
and the plant has the capacity to expand further.
Managing Director Matthias Meissner
comments: “The market for warm edge products is growing
as homeowner demand for energy efficient windows increases.
We’ve made this investment so we can work with our
customers to keep ahead of demand. Using Swisspacer means
manufacturers and fabricators can produce the highest
performing sealed units and windows by using the sealed unit
machinery they already have.”
