Case Studies

When an experienced builder sets out to make a home for members of his own family, you can be sure he will want everything to be just right. And when he chooses a combination of PVC-U windows alongside solid oak, it goes without saying that the PVC-U had to be the very best in both looks and performance. “I’ve been in the business for 40 years but this was the first time I have actually built a house from scratch,” said Bridgenorth-based Brian Waterfield, who built the detached home for his grandson and family. “I’d never come across Residence 9 before, but once we found it we knew it was exactly what we needed.  It has just the looks and features we had in mind, enabling us to complete the build to a really high specification.” Brian and family chose R9 casements in Clotted Cream for most of the windows, including French style for upstairs. A Solidor Stable door and VEKA frame in Chartwell Green were chosen for the back door, all from Glazerite. In complete contrast a front bay, the front door, porch and roofline were all made in solid oak. He concluded: “Glazerite were always on hand with advice throughout the project and it made it all the simpler that we could get our first choice of PVC-U windows and composite door and frame all from the same source.” Jason Thompson, Director of The Glazerite UK Group Ltd, added: “Residence, VEKA and Solidor are just a part of the wide range of products we offer, and a project such as this shows very clearly how installers can benefit from such a variety of choices. “These are all highly acclaimed systems in their own right. At Glazerite, we are very proud to be among very few fabricators that can offer seven systems – one trusted source, one delivery, one payment point, it couldn’t be easier.”

New meaning to pink and blue.  Pastel pink and blue may be the traditional colours for little girls and boys but when they were specified for the windows and doors – plus some round windows – for the new Mulberry Bush Nursery in Bury, the result was anything but traditional. That was no problem for Grosvenor Windows because, having its own in-house spray shop and working with trade fabricator The Glazerite UK Group Limited, the Bolton-based installer was able to come up with the exact RAL colours, plus 7016 Grey, as well as round frames with Fully Reversible function, all based on the acclaimed VEKA Matrix 70mm profile. The result may look a lot of fun but getting the specification exactly right was a serious matter, according to Grosvenor contract manager Lauren Wilcox: “We pot-tested all the paints to make sure of a perfect colour match. Wind loading calculations were needed for a first-floor balcony with 2,200mm high glass panels, the glass was 6mm toughened to withstand impact and of course all opening windows had restrictors, including the round Fully Reversibles.” The unit is the fifth Mulberry Bush Nursery but the group’s first new-build. The striking contemporary styling is not only aimed to follow the group’s ethos of making the design child-focussed but also to make the most of its very visible location, as director Andy Robinson explained: "We are only interested in running outstanding nurseries so when we had the chance of building one from scratch we wanted it to be visually outstanding as well. The site is at the entrance to a large business park and close to a 300-house private estate so there are obvious benefits to being noticed" Grosvenor was chosen on the strength of past work with the main contractor SD Woodcock. Design for the project was by Fuzion. As well as curtain walling, Grosvenor installed in total 43 windows, seven sliding patio doors, five single doors and one French door, all in the various colours, with the pink colour-matched to translucent Rodeca cladding, which was used extensively in the construction.    

Doncaster-based AK Glass and Glazing has recently completed a demanding project at a specialist rehabilitation hospital in Cheadle, Stoke on Trent. Director Ian Gelantly, who was part of the installation team, along with contractors Pacey & Wheatley, explains: “We have worked with Pacey & Wheatley on a number of care home projects over the years, and after supplying a sample of VEKA’s Matrix 70 anti-ligature casement that was supplied by The Glazerite UK Group Limited, we were pleased to win the contract. The approved and proven anti-ligature handles and window restrictors were fitted externally, and meet the strict specification from Woodhouse for the new hospital unit.  Furthermore, to compliment the casement and windows, Swiftglide integral blinds are also available to complete the specification. “A total of six Anti Ligature Matrix 70 casement windows and three aluminium doors were installed, complete with safety glass and the results are stylish and easy on the eye, while also providing the essential safety features that are required wherever there is a risk of self harm. The window restrictors can be limited to prescribed requirements to meet the needs and guidelines of today’s NHS and private sector provider guidelines.” Peter Smith, Sales Manager for Glazerite adds:  “The Mental Health sector is a specialised one and requires some very specific products to guarantee the safety and needs of the health providers and its patients. Glazerite Bolton have completed a number of bespoke Anti-Ligature applications of casement windows and vertical sliding windows.  With the initial projects this took a fair bit of research and investigation into the requirements and needs of the market.  Now we’re perfectly positioned to provide a solution to every application.  The Woodhouse Hospital provides specialist treatment and rehabilitation for men and women with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour and ASD/autism spectrum conditions, in small gender-specific units. 

Glazerite and D&M Windows preserve Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital striking appearance.  The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital has been a landmark in the Pendlebury district for nearly 140 years so the preservation of its striking appearance was essential to the refit, but the need for such a variety of shapes and sizes might have been too much of a challenge for some. As well as putting considerable time into detailed measurement, installer D&M Windows created a series of templates for fabricator The Glazerite UK Group Limited to work from. Oldham-based D&M, run by Mark and his son Darren, installed in total 90 PVC-U windows fabricated from the VEKA Matrix 70mm bevelled system by Glazerite at its North West manufacturing unit in Bolton with frame bending by Universal Arches. The client was Wiggett Construction, which, as Wiggett Homes, is now offering the properties under the building’s new name of Oaklands Lodge. Owner Phil Wiggett said: “We have worked with D&M many times and, as ever, they did an excellent job without any problems. This building is a landmark so it was important to preserve its character and the new windows have helped to achieve that.It is a really beautiful building and very well known in the area so it was all well worth the extra effort. Glazerite were very supportive and everything went exactly to plan without a hitch." Glazerite’s Peter Smith said: “This is the kind of project where the commercial experience of a company like D&M really comes into its own. The job was expertly surveyed and installed and the attention to detail ensured that everything ran smoothly for us, for the client and for the fitters. The new frames have brought the building back to life as well as improving the thermal efficiency for the residents.”

When the owners of 12 Lake District holiday cottages were looking for the right window installer for a major upgrade, they didn’t just ask to see a couple of previous jobs – they asked for ten. That was no problem for VEKA Approved Installer and Glazerite customer Andrew Richardson Windows & Joinery and now, 82 VEKA vertical sliders later, Andrew has a dozen more to show the next customer. Andrew said “Glazerite was very helpful in providing all the information the owners wanted and even came up with a sample window. The windows look fantastic – you would never know they were PVC-U without getting up close.” The look of the Glazerite VS obviously impressed local planners. A full application had to be made as the cottages are in a Conservation Area, and only a visual match to the old timber frames would be acceptable, but they were approved without problems. The windows are also SBD accredited. The owners not only liked what they saw but were also impressed that Andrew would be doing all the work himself and so would take responsibility for everything, though they needn’t have worried – the whole installation went without hitches. Jason Thompson, Glazerite's Director States:  "The Glazerite-VEKA VS is one of the most authentic-looking on the market, especially with the run-through sash horns, so it is ideal for use in a Conservation Area or anywhere else where a heritage appearance is important." Glazerite is VEKA’s largest trade fabricator in the UK as well as a long-standing Network VEKA and VEKA Approved Installer Scheme fabricator. It offers a fully nationwide service based on manufacturing units in Northants and Greater Manchester as well as its South West distribution hub in Bristol serving South Wales and The West of England.  

Never an easy decision for a small business who have many years of experience, but times change and we have to make decisions for the survival of our business. Go on fabricating or start buying in and concentrate on installing? It may be a dilemma for many companies, but not for CJR Glass & Glazing – the Southampton based company decided on a strategic plan to do both and now, with the help of trade fabricator Glazerite Windows Ltd, the strategy is paying dividends. CJR is still manufacturing white casements as well as resi and French doors but now turns to Glazerite for all other coloured foils and window styles, including Vertical Sliders and Residence 9 as well as composite doors and bi-folds and is enjoying the best of both worlds, as founder Clive Ret explained: “I didn’t want to get out of fabricating altogether. For one thing, we get a lot of council emergency work such as break-ins. So now, I can still make and install a white window or door in 24 hours but at the same time, offer customers a wider range than ever.” The move was part of a consolidation overhaul that also saw the company change over to the Veka system and move from two separate factories into a single, much bigger premises. Also the new unit includes a showroom, which means CJR can show its newly expanded range of products at their best, especially with support from Glazerite on showroom display materials. Glazerite Director Jason Thompson said: “Getting out of fabricating is still the best option for many but we realise it’s a big decision to make. CJR has shown how it is possible to make the best of both. Fabricating white frames in core designs gives them a simple in-house process with low stock levels and no complications, while buying in coloured foils and the premium and specialist systems gives them a large and varied offering that no business this size could ever dream of fabricating cost-effectively. “CJR has shown the way here and if it has given anyone else any ideas, we would be very happy to help them to develop it.” Jason also comments: We have encouraged many small fabricator-installers to shut the factory and concentrate on what they do best – selling and installing. And now here is a company that has found its own twist on that philosophy and it is doing very nicely as a result.    

Oldham continulously wins contracts for Oldham affordable homes.  The RAL 7001 colour was specified to complement exterior cladding features on the project, a mixed development of Local Authority and affordable apartments with community centre at Primrose Bank, Oldham. Glazerite and VEKA answered the call with the Matrix 70 bevelled profile in the same grey to match the Cladding. Even the trickle vents were specially sprayed to match the frames. Now, with the first phase of 550 casement windows completed, Bolton-based Grosvenor has won the next contract for more than 230 windows in the next four blocks along with main contractor Wates Construction. Grosvenor’s Commercial Estimator Lauren Wilcox said the team were up against bad weather earlier in the year but were still able to complete one block of up to 70 windows per week as required. The trade-only fabricator has always recognised the growing demand for colours and foils. It was the first to offer the entire VEKA Variations range across every available system, the first to make a white grain on VEKA profile and has undertaken a number of bespoke foil projects for installers in the past. Jason Thompson, Glazerite's Director writes: This is quite an usual RAL shade for a window foil and put to very imaginative use along with the cladding and other exterior features. With the help of VEKA, we were able to come up with the right combination product colour and all agree the result is very impressive.  

Our houses will provide homes for 300 families currently living in overcrowded or unsuitable accommodation, and will also support jobs in the construction industry. The £10m development at Bader Close in Ipswich includes 108 new one, two and four bedroom homes, all of which feature casement windows in contemporary grey foil manufactured by Veka fabricator Glazerite and composite doors supplied by Door Stop. The Window Company (Contracts), which was named the Installer of the Year at the 2014 Glass and Glazing awards, was awarded the installation contract on the basis of its previous successful work with the main contractors Keepmoat. The Chelmsford based company was not only able to respond quickly to the tender from leading construction and regeneration specialists Keepmoat but it was also able to guarantee completion within the timescale laid down by the council. TWC120 The Window Company (Contracts) is installing Veka windows and doors in Ipswich Council’s largest housing project for 50 yearsThe Window Company (Contracts) selected Glazerite to manufacture the windows set out in the specification after seeing them at the industry FIT show in June 2014. Managing Director David Thornton said:  “We were impressed with the Glazerite product on the stand and followed this up with a visit to their fabrication plant in Wellingbrough. They satisfied us that they could deliver the quality and service we required and were helpful in terms of setting up the necessary lines of credit for a contract on this scale.” Trevor Fitzgerald, Contracts Manager for Keepmoat, said: “The Window Company (Contracts) have been a pleasure to work with on this exciting project.  We’ve been particularly impressed with the measures put in place to ensure the project ran smoothly and their attention to detail, such as the provision of window protectors on all windows to prevent scratching or damage.” Councillor David Ellesmere, Leader at Ipswich Borough Council, said of the project: “This is a major milestone in our ambitious plans to build more than 300 new homes in Ipswich. Rather than stand by in the face of the national house building crisis, we have decided to build houses ourselves. David Thornton, The Managing Director writes: "We showed once again on this contract why we were chosen as the Installer of the Year at the G14 awards – our product quality, administration efficiency and customer service were all outstanding".  

High specification energy efficient windows will improve the appearance of the 19 affordable home and cut back on heating bills. Grosvenor gained AECB Silver Standard accreditation for its U-Value 1.2 windows using 6.8mm laminate glass, Styrofoam LBH-X inserts in the reinforcement steels, plus additional gaskets, in grey VEKA Matrix 70 frames designed and fabricated by Glazerite Windows Ltd. The blocks were part of a development of 19 affordable and private residential new properties by Seddon Homes in the city’s Bowker Street. The contract was especially challenging at the tender stage because of the requirement for AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Building) Silver Standard for the affordable homes, especially achieving U-Value 1.2 while using laminated glass, according to Grosvenor Commercial Estimator Lauren Wilcox: “But after all the planning and discussion, the actual installation went extremely well and was completed well within the required timescale. Given such a demanding specification, the technical support we received from Glazerite and VEKA plc proved invaluable, as it has done many times before.”. Grosvenor also provided the windows for the private residential side of the development as well as all the French doors, which were Secured by Design accredited. Jason Thompson, Glazerite's Director writes: "There are lots of jobs out there that can be made achievable for any competent installer with the right kind of technical support, as many of our installer partners have already discovered. More and more commercial clients and main contractors are taking matters such as energy efficiency far more seriously but this work need not be out of reach of any professional installer".

The new PVC-U frames complement the heritage look of the building perfectly but it’s warmer and there’s less road noise. The village’s residents obtained a government loan to buy the pub when it came up for sale in 2013, fearing the loss of an important part of their community. “It was clear to see the pride that local people had in the pub”, explains Northfield Glass’ Managing Director, Fred Atkinson. “It was very important to the Parish Council that the replacement windows were stylistically true to a building of its era and that the original grey colour of the old timber frames was maintained. “Everyone was impressed with VEKA’s Fully Sculptured casement and Vertical Sliding windows. Georgian bars and sash horns helped to complete the period look, and the Agate Grey shade from VEKA’s Variations colour range was a near-direct match for the original windows. All in all, it combined to give the building a really inviting appearance – essential in a good pub! “Obviously, one of the main benefits of installing PVC-U windows is their longevity. The old timber frames that came out of the pub had perished significantly – an inevitable symptom of using wood unless regular, costly and time-consuming maintenance is carried out. PVC-U offers modern day standards of weather and noise insulation too, so it’s easy to see why many are choosing this option to update heritage and period properties.” Rodney Hodgkins, Chairman of the Bishampton and Throckmoreton Parish Council commented: “We’re thrilled  to see The Dolphin returning to its former glory with the installation of these new windows.  “Fred and the team at Northfield Glass did a great job and we’d have no hesitation in recommending them, and VEKA’s products to others. The fitters arrived on time, worked with unsurpassed levels of cleanliness and tidiness and, what’s more, Lee – the landlord – was still able to run the pub without their work intruding. No wonder so many villagers have taken the business cards they left! “The fact that Northfield Glass is a VEKA Approved Installer also gave us the peace of mind that we’re dealing with a reputable company who meet all the legal requirements, such as supplying CE Marked products.” Fred Atkinson, Northfield Glass quotes: " Thanks to VEKA, we had all the products at our disposal to fulfil this job – and others like it – to the complete satisfaction of our client. Customers trust the VEKA name and, now as an Approved Installer, we’re able to professionally promote our business, with our logo proudly displayed alongside theirs. We’re thrilled that the residents of Bishampton are so pleased with the results of this job, and wish The Dolphin a long and successful future".  

Worked exactly to the clients specification but at a cheaper price. When VEKA Approved Installer D&M Windows and Doors won the contract to put windows into a timber framed building, the first challenge was to avoid the woodgrain texture. That was no problem for trade fabricator Glazerite Windows Ltd and VEKA however and, while the contract presented other technical challenges, the flat untextured RAL 7016 anthracite grey foil profile was produced as a special order to fabricate the windows as specified for The Edge, a five-storey student accommodation block in Liverpool city centre. Mark Hoolickin, Managing Director at D&M explained: “We had worked with timber constructions before so we knew about the allowances that need to be made for expansion at each floor level. But we were very glad when VEKA and Glazerite were able to come up with the smooth foil. Grey is very popular, especially with commercial clients but it’s more commonly on grained foil, though we have worked with the smooth grey on other locations where they wanted the same aluminium look.” VEKA Commercial Development Manager Colette Hunter explained that the smooth grey was chosen to resemble powder coated aluminium, which had been the client’s first choice: “But when we were able to show them the cost difference and let them see the product for themselves,  they went for PVC-U in all the courtyard areas while keeping aluminium on the front elevation.” Oldham-based D&M, run by Mark and son Darren, installed 127 tilt/turn windows in VEKA Matrix 70 with Maco concealed gearing, fabricated by Glazerite at its North West Division in Bolton. Windows and panels were separated with the VEKA vertical expansion system. The main contractor was Beardsley Construction. D&M had the support of the VEKA Commercial Team from the beginning, working with the planners at Liverpool City Council and providing technical details such as wind loadings.  Peter Smith, Glazerite quotes: "Once again, this contract shows what can be achieved when installer, fabricator and system supplier work together as a team. D&M had the experience with timber buildings, not to mention an excellent track record on commercial projects of all kinds, and VEKA came up with the special order on the foil and the technical support".

The biggest project the borough council has undertaken with 108 new houses, all needing new frames. The Chelmsford-based commercial installer was looking to bid for the job, which specified the VEKA system by name, after an earlier supplier contract fell through, as Managing Director David Thornton explained: “We were not using VEKA at the time but I remembered meeting up with Glazerite at the FIT Show so I gave them a call. Thanks to them, we were not only able to step into the breach but we were able to be on site within three weeks of signing. The contract, via main contractor Keepmoat Homes and Ipswich Borough Council, was for all 1,000-plus frames in 108 new houses, the biggest housing project the borough had undertaken for half a century. The Window Company (Contracts) has worked with many public authorities and housebuilders throughout the South East since it came into being in 2010. It has however one other admirer in the unlikely form of stand-up comedian Kevin Bridges. Announcing the award of Installer of the Year as compere of the G14 awards, Bridges said he was glad the company had won because it had ‘the most straightforward name’. David Thornton, Director quotes: "We had actually contacted a number of VEKA suppliers but Glazerite came back with the right price – and the right attitude. Since then, we have partnered with Glazerite and VEKA products on a number of other projects and we are very happy with our working relationship. We have always been committed to installing more than one PVC-U system, in keeping with clients’ specifications, but Glazerite and VEKA are now very much a part of that mix".