New CPA Chairman
Adrian Barden, the newly elected Chairman of the Construction Products Association, has told an audience of industry leaders, politicians and government officials that industry in the UK must remain competitive across the world to stop jobs moving to countries with lower environmental standards.
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Adams Rite's New MD
Security solutions provider, Adams Rite, has appointed David Wigglesworth as its new Managing Director. David will replace Iain Mackay, Adams Rite's current Chairman and acting Managing Director who will be retiring in March.
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Reynaers in a Grand Design

Reynaers is experiencing the 'Grand Designs effect' after featuring in the Channel 4 programme in January. A selection of the company’s windows played a key part in creating a highly unusual home for property developer, Henry Chopping
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Schüco ‘Invisible' Windows

New from Schüco International, the specialist in façade, window and door systems and solar energy products, is Schüco SFC 85, a stick construction, structurally glazed façade system that incorporates the flush integration of opening windows
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Sound Reduction with Thermal Performance from Schüco
New to Schüco's expanding AWS aluminium window range is the Schüco AWS 105 CC.HI, a specialist window that delivers extremely high levels of sound reduction (up to 48 dB with appropriate glass) combined with excellent thermal insulation (typical 'U' value 1.6 W/m2 K for a 1200mm x 1200 mm window).
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Sapa Maximises Sea Views at Sandbanks

Windows that maximised the stunning sea views of the Sandbanks peninsula was an over-riding criterion at a prestigious development completed by Sapa Building Systems on the edge of Poole Harbour
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DREMEL Big on Detail Set
Creative DIY and hobby enthusiasts will clamour to get their hands on the multipurpose DREMEL Big on Detail Set, currently available FREE with any purchase of a DREMEL Stylus Multitool
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EnergiClear from Solaglas
The core of the EnergiClear range is based on the new SGG Planitherm Total, which has improved Window Energy Rating (WER) performance due to substantial R&D investment in the UK driven by our six state-of-the-art Solaglas DGU manufacturing facilities
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Madico Contra Vision® Digital XR™
Madico Graphic Films, a supplier of specialist press has launched new, Contra Vision® Digital XR™; an environmentally friendly, digitally printable one-way vision glazing enhancement film
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SGG Planitherm® 4S
The SGG PLANITHERM® range from Saint-Gobain Glass has been extended further, with the launch of SGG PLANITHERM® 4S, developed especially for conservatory glazing applications
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Improved Planitherm
Saint-Gobain Glass has improved the Window Energy Rating (WERs) performance of its flagship SGG PLANITHERM TOTAL low-emissivity glass thanks to successful R&D and investment at its UK coating facility
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Glass Coating Evolution Continues
AGC Flat Glass Europe has announced the latest innovation in its selection of architectural coating products
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Progress in Vacuum Glazing Research
Guardian VIG, Guardian Industries' vacuum glazing panel, could roll out commercially by the end of 2009, according to a n article from the Environmental News Network The Michigan company has been researching the technology since 2000
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Key Indicators

Some key indicators from Robert Palmer's research and report into the commercial glazing market have been released this month. Among them, it has been revealed that, according to Palmer, although there will be 8% growth in 2008, it will be followed by a decline of 2% in 2009 and 2.5% in 2010. The private sector will fall between 2007 and 2012 by 12.5% and housing (apartments blocks) by a considerable 54%. One chink of light comes in the public sector which is expected to increase by 24%.

Meanwhile, our comment in the February issue about Norsk Hydro waking up to the fact that it is now a dedicated aluminium company is echoed this month by a good first quarter financial result from the restructured group.

Finallly, a belated pat on the back for CAB Technical Officer David Earle, who gives us an insight this month into the difficulty of being the 'tame Brit' on the CEN Curtain Walling group (TC33 WG6). Perhaps having to spend St Georges Day in Milan was asking too much...

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Apropos Tectonic at Grand Designs Live 2008
Bespoke glass structure specialists Apropos Tectonic will be exhibiting at Grand Designs Live for the first time this year. Apropos Tectonic focus on creating beautiful glass and aluminium structures.
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More for Merchants at Interbuild '08
The UK's largest merchant co-operative will be at the UK's biggest building show, Sunday 26th October through to Thursday 30th October, covering an area twice the size of their presence at the 2007 event.
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BMF Hosts all Merchant Industry Conference
The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) is bringing together key trade associations involved in the trade distribution of building materials to host a one-day Environment and Sustainability Conference and Exhibition.
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Cracking The Code
NHBC is running a series of one-day courses in June to provide practical guidance and advice on the updated Code requirements for 2008.
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glasstec 2008 - ‘Glass & Energy’
Modern glass products offer a great deal of potential for the reduction of the climate-damaging greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2).
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CHINA NOW at RIBA
On Friday 25th April CHINA NOW, the UK's largest ever festival of Chinese culture, hosted the Shui On Land closed conference on Urbanisation for a select number of professionals and academics at RIBA.
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Coatings Conference
The 7th International Conference on Coatings on Glass and Plastics will take place in Eindhoven / Veldhoven, The Netherlands from June 15th - 19th 2008.
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SAS Gateway to a Brand New Look

Senior Aluminium Systems (SAS) has given a university building a brand new look. Gateway House at DeMontfort University in Leicester was given a £850,000 make over by the company with the help of fabricator Insight Architectural.
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Aluminium in New Homes

AM Profiles has recently completed a new development in Lincoln designed by CAD Associates of Lincoln for Stamford Homes which effectively uses aluminium curtain walling, windows and doors in a low rise residential application.
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Kawneer Barnsley Transformation

Curtain walling, windows and doors from architectural aluminium systems supplier Kawneer have helped drive Barnsley's transport infrastructure into the 21st Century and win an award in the process.
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Metal Technology in Newcastle

Carliol Square, named after a 13th century, rich, merchant family, is the prestige location for a stunning new office building in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with its most impressive façade created using Metal Technology’s architectural aluminium glazing.
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Shopping Centre from Reynaers
Reynaers curtain walling, windows and doors have played a key part in the redevelopment of a shopping centre in the heart of Exeter’s conservation area.
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CHIEF EXEC'S COMMENT

Put the Squeeze on the Squeeze

A quick poll amongst leading aluminium fabricators in late April finds continuing optimism despite the deluge of negative financial reports across the media. Indeed, across a number of sectors within CAB membership, companies have experienced record figures for the first couple of months of 2008 and still report difficultly in recruitment.
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You Can Go Your Own Way

Funny how one's role in life can be dictated by one's nationality. As the 'tame Brit' on CEN TC33 WG6 - curtain walling group to the unenlightened - I find myself called upon to interpret various points of view expressed in passionate if not always accurate English and to deliver the result in correct and understandable English.
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