Glass Goes BIG at FIT Show 2019

Visit Glass, the dedicated flat glass showcase set to debut at FIT Show 2019, has seen a number of high profile brands sign up to exhibit at the NEC this May (21st to 23rd).

The lineup has grown considerably in recent months to include the likes of Lisec, GGR Group, Flat Glass Solutions, Edgetech and Saint-Gobain. Visitors can expect an impressive display of the latest processing machinery, products and equipment.

Experts from a number of Visit Glass’ exhibiting brands are scheduled to deliver key notes as part of the main FIT Show learning programme. Topics that will be covered include ‘the evolution of glass’, ‘flat glass technology’, ‘automation’, ‘pushing the boundaries of glass design to meet creative trends in large scale commercial architecture’, as well as ‘the comfort and health benefits of glass’.

Flat Glass Solutions will be showcasing a water treatment centrifuge, a new and innovative eco-friendly polishing wheel for processors, a rotary table and snip saw for IG manufacturing, along with a vacuum lifter for glass. Speaking about their decision to exhibit, Managing Director David Cahill said: “As a brand that is still in its infancy we want to expose our new products and ideas to the industry. Visit Glass will allow us to do just that.

“We’re looking forward to meeting with prospective customers, with the potential to rapidly expand our customer base, speaking directly to our target market. It’s such a long time since we had a glass show in the UK, I’m excited to see how the glass industry responds to Visit Glass.”

Edgetech Managing Director Chris Alderson comments: “We always look forward to the FIT Show, but this one is shaping up to be particularly special. We’ll be taking the opportunity to celebrate Super Spacer’s astounding success over three decades with friends throughout the industry. We’ll be introducing customers to our new e-commerce system. And, after a lot of intensive research and development behind the scenes, we’ll be unveiling our cutting-edge new spacer product.

“I’m also delighted that Joe Erb, one of Edgetech’s most senior and long-serving employees, will be making the journey to share his wisdom with us!”

Recent preregistration data has reinforced the quality audience that is being driven to this year’s FIT Show. As well as registration being significantly higher than the same period in previous campaigns, 45% of those registered for FIT Show 2019 have a turnover of over £1m, with more than half of those registered being C-suite decision makers or higher.

FIT Show Event Director, Nickie West added: “We’re delighted with the support that has been shown for the inaugural Visit Glass. We knew that there was a gap in the market to create a dedicated showcase for flat glass, and Visit Glass will do just that.

“This new feature has broadened our appeal to architects, specifiers and commercial installers too. We look forward to welcoming faces old and new to the NEC this May.”

For more information www.fitshow.co.uk/visit-glass
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Showstopping Learning Programme Announced for FIT Show 2019

FIT Show, the UK’s only dedicated event for the glass and glazing industry, has announced the launch of its free three-day learning programme for its 2019 show (Birmingham NEC, May 21st – 23rd).

The showstopping programme is made up of over 20 hours of learning content, with 50 sessions that have been developed to reflect the wants and needs of the industry, as well as FIT Show’s broadened audience.

Sessions will tackle key industry issues such as the skills gap, and bring expert content in the form of CPD certified seminars. Alongside this, the programme will deliver practical advice through workshops, business clinics and practical product demonstrations.

The full schedule, which will kick start at 10.30am on the opening day of the show (Tuesday 21st May) can be accessed via the FIT Show website. Visitors can choose from two theatres, the ‘Insight Theatre’ and ‘Discovery Theatre’, with sessions running concurrently across the three days.

FIT Show 2019 visitors can expect a diverse mix of topics, including tackling mental health in construction, driving leads and making your business more profitable, guidance on legislative changes, upskilling, automation, flat glass processing, smart home technology and much more.

Practical product and tool demonstrations will be delivered by the likes of BBC Young Carpenter of the Year and multi-award-winning tradesman, Tibby Singh. Business clinics will be delivered by various exhibitors on their stands.

A special marketing village will be hosted across the three days by Insight Data and Purplex Marketing. Visitors will be able to access firsthand information about how to better market their business, generate more sales leads, how to maximise data, and receive support and practical guidance about on and offline marketing channels such as social media.

On the third and final day of the show (Thursday 23rd May), the learning programme will commence at 10.00am with the focus shifting to skills under the badge of ‘Skills Thursday’. Skills Thursday will include content specifically designed to attract new talent into the fenestration industry in partnership with a number of key training and education provides, as well as Building Our Skills.

Employers will be able to receive advice about attracting the right talent, salary banding, unlocking funding for schemes such as apprenticeships and then how to retain that talent and upskills the workforce they have.

For college leavers, ex servicemen and career changers, there will be seminars and panel debates designed to showcase the length and breadth of opportunities that a career within fenestrations presents. Content will include CV writing advice, guidance on apprenticeships and training initiatives and real life success stories from people within the industry.

FIT Show Event Director, Nickie West commented: “We’re extremely proud of the content that has been curated for the FIT Show 2019 learning programme. We’ve been inundated with support from our exhibitors and experts from across the industry who have offered their guidance on the topics that need to be covered.

“Across the two theatres, we have compiled a showstopping programme which has been designed to bring the right people together to debate key industry issues, such as the skills gap, as well as delivering CPD approved content that will help our visitors do better business when they leave the show.

“There is less focus on brands, and a stronger emphasis on delivering rich and diverse advice, support, guidance and engaging content that we know will really add value to our visitors. And unlike previous years, much of the content will be one-off so if visitors miss it, then they run the risk of missing out!”

For a full breakdown of the programme, visit www.fitshow.co.uk/sessions-2019

 

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Official FIT Show 2019 Preview

FIT Show 2019 is set to deliver a record breaking industry showcase with more brands, products, materials and overseas exhibitors than ever before. With so much crammed into the 2019 schedule, here’s a preview of what visitors can expect when they descend on the NEC from May 21st to 23rd.

More Brands, More Products –

A showcase of everything you need to deliver the very best projects, all under one roof, across three days. 300 industry leading brands. 5,000 cutting edge products. Expect to see windows, internal and external doors, orangeries, conservatories, sky lights, hardware, tools, sealants and much more. From UPVC and timber, through to aluminium and more.

International Showcase –

Over 70 overseas companies will be making their FIT Show debut. Expect an unrivalled showcase from companies from countries including the USA, Turkey, China, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Norway, India, Serbia and Morocco.

Exclusive Show Offers –

There will also be more competitions and exclusive show offers and incentives than previous years. FIT Show 2019 will see the launch of a brand new voucher scheme with huge discounts and savings on purchases made at the Show. Brands such as Makita, Korniche, Epwin and Eurocell have thousands of pounds worth of products and prizes to giveaway at the Show.

Time to Learn –

Over 20 hours of learning content. 50+ sessions that have been developed to reflect the wants and needs of the industry. Sessions will tackle key industry issues, such as the skills gap, and bring expert content in the form of CPD certified seminars. Alongside this, the programme will deliver practical advice through workshops, business clinics and practical product demonstrations.

Take the Trails –

FIT Show 2019 will see the introduction of a series of trails to help guide visitors around the show content which is most relevant for them. This includes a brand new installer trail, new product trail and Wood Window Alliance (WWA) backed timber trail.

Late Night –

Take advantage of ‘Late Night Tuesday’, when the show opens until 8pm on the second day of the event. Expect a real party night when this industry does what it does best connects, socialises, entertains and celebrates.

Glass Goes Big –

For the first time ever, get set to see glass on a large scale. Visit Glass is a dedicated flat glass showcase within the show that will see the very best in flat glass processing equipment, machinery and technology on the floor.

Gala Networking –

Join the industry’s biggest celebration. The FIT Show 2019 Gala Dinner is going back to its roots with an emphasis on networking. FIT Show is the main industry platform to get together with every link in the supply chain, build on existing relationships and make new connections. The gala dinner will focus very heavily on these connections, providing a real industry celebration as well as raising funds for GM Fundraising and Hope House Children’s Hospices in the process.

If you have yet to register for FIT Show, don’t miss out on your chance to be part of FIT. Register today: https://www.fitshow.co.uk/why-visit.
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Cardinal joins timber’s tour-de-force at FIT Show 2019

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The development of timber windows in the FIT Show line-up has been further strengthened with the news that traditional sash manufacturer Cardinal Windows has signed up to the 2019 event.

The company, whose key staff boast over 150 combined years of experience, offers bespoke windows to specifiers and installers who seek traditionally styled, timber sliding box sash windows but which come with the latest standards of high performance. Having seen demand grow for real wood windows, the firm now sees the FIT Show as the best shop window to reach its trade target markets, as Marketing Manager Jamie Hackett explained:

“We want to talk to a range of potential customers including window installers and specifiers together with architects, developers and small building companies and we know we will meet many of them at the FIT Show. Our customers include designers and builders of new homes right through to those responsible for the most sensitive period renovations,” he said.

“The event has proven itself to be the focal point for all of the UK window industry, so that is where we want to be, especially now that so many others in the timber window sector are thinking the same thing.”

Cardinal’s heart may be in the tradition of timber but its route to market is right up to date, with online ordering and a window-builder facility complete with instant quote function, all designed to make choosing – and pricing – a timber window as easy and cost-effective as PVC or aluminium. With pine, sapele or oak products based on German engineering backed by full UK customer support, Cardinal Windows have a U value of 1.5 W/m²K and are available in any RAL colour and with a range of bespoke and hardware options.

Jamie Hackett concluded: “Everyone in PVC and aluminium is shouting about their ‘authentic timber alternatives’ but what they are really doing is emphasising how much people still aspire to having the real thing. More and more homeowners and trade customers are realising this. As a manufacturer, we have the skills and the infrastructure to satisfy this need and, in the FIT Show, we have the vehicle to get that message across.”

For more information please visit www.fitshow.co.uk.
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Visit Glass: introducing a dynamic new event for the flat glass industry at the NEC

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The FIT Show team organises a brand new event for processors, specifiers and buyers of flat glass in all its forms.

Following increasing demand indicated by visitors to the FIT Show, the organisers have announced the launch of Visit Glass, which will take place alongside the FIT Show in May 2019 at the NEC.

Responding to a massive 40% of the 10,000 visitors to the 2017 FIT Show who declared their interest in seeing glass products and glass-related processing equipment and technology at the event, Visit Glass will become the first UK exhibition and forum dedicated to the manufacture, processing and application of flat glass for almost 15 years.

The event is designed to appeal to glass industry professionals, together with specifiers and buyers of flat glass products and systems. These include insulated glass units, architectural glass, processed flat glass for all non-glazing applications including kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and the furniture industry; and glass for interiors including offices and decorative interior design schemes.

Prompted by the visitor feedback the organisers of the FIT show carried out further research into the viability of such an event and were told that professionals operating in the sector would respond positively for something created specifically to address the unique needs of the UK flat glass industry, one that continues to undergo substantial technological and market changes. They also learned that, despite the success of the FIT Show, it did not serve the specific needs of flat glass manufacture, processing and technology. That will now be addressed by the launch of Visit Glass, according to organiser Nickie West.

“Despite glass being an obvious and essential component of almost everything that is shown at the FIT Show, the glass industry has needs that are quite distinct in almost every respect,” she said. “After analysis of visitor research at the 2017 FIT Show we realised that glass-related topics were some of the highest categories they wanted to see at the show. However, this was not reflected in what they saw there. Visit Glass will address this imbalance through a distinct, separate event alongside the FIT Show.

“With the numbers of visitors to the FIT Show indicating their interest in flat glass we can guarantee a very substantial attendance to Visit Glass,” added West. “In addition of course there will be a substantial marketing campaign to encourage a wide cross section of the glass industry, in addition to users and specifiers.”

Visit Glass will take place in its own clearly designated space at the NEC alongside the FIT Show, in a space that combines key exhibitors representing leading brands alongside a powerful, thought provoking and informative seminar programme dedicated to the glass industry and markets in the UK. To ensure an appropriate format for Visit Glass was created the event was ‘soft launched’, during which time a number of powerful, key brands were quick to reserve exhibition space. These include Pilkington, Saint-Gobain, Edgetech, Lisec, National Glass Group and Sapphire Glass Merchants, with others joining the floorplan as word of the event spreads.

A dedicated seminar theatre within Visit Glass will offer a comprehensive programme of seminars addressing UK and general issues relating to the manufacture, processing and application of flat glass. Industry experts are being consulted to ensure content that is highly relevant and current for the UK flat glass industry when the event takes place in May 2019.

Visitors will also be encouraged to network in the Visit Glass bar, access for which will be granted to Visit Glass pre-registered visitors who will automatically be granted VIP status. Visit Glass and FIT Show visitors will have full access to both events.

Visit Glass will take place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham, 21st to 23rd May 2019. Further information is available at: www.fitshow.co.uk/visitglass or for interest in exhibiting, by calling Freya Humphries on +44 7572 623457.
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Reynaers shows off new suite of products to the trade this FiT show

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Leading aluminium systems company Reynaers is showcasing its complete trade offering for the first time at this year’s FiT Show at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) from May 23 to 25

Transforming homes with SL 68

The theme of the first-ever appearance for Reynaers at this year’s show is ‘bigger, better, breathtakingly beautiful’ and it will be displaying its comprehensive range of aluminium window and door products on stand N10.

Designed for UK homes, Reynaers’ brand new Slim Line 68 window completes the range of specialist systems that are ideal for the trade market.

Rebecca Cope, marketing manager at Reynaers, said: “We are so excited to bring the new SL 68 system to the FiT show. It’s been specifically designed to meet the needs of UK households and the windows have incredibly slim frames with high performance. With sleek, clean lines, these beautifully designed windows can transform the appearance of any home.”

With a huge range of design options, the SL 68 has industry-leading thermal insulation and is one of the most secure windows available – meeting PAS24 and Secured by Design standards. This security is enhanced with hinge-side security brackets, a multi-point locking mechanism and lockable handles.

The window system is available with double and triple glazed options and benefits from U values as low as 1.1 W/m2K. Its window energy rating is up to A++ and innovative adjustable corner profiles for bay and bow windows are also possible.

Another trade-specific highlight on Reynaers’ stand is the Secured by Design-approved CF 68 folding door system, which has a unique adjustable side jamb for ease of installation.

Rebecca Cope said: “A unique adjustable profile on each side of the frame allows up to 9mm adjustment during installation, ensuring efficient assembly. Inward and outward opening doors use the same profiles, so less stock holding is required by our trade partners.”

Also on show will be the lift and slide CP 130 system, which boasts a high quality stainless steel mechanism, optional slim meeting section and industry-leading performance. This system also meets Secured by Design standards.

Further details are available from: Reynaers Limited on 0121 421 1999 or reynaersltd@reynaers.com.
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FIT Show 2017 reveals nearly 100 brand new exhibitors!

This year’s FIT Show is proving to be a massive hit with new exhibiting companies, who see the opportunities that they confidently expect will come from being present at one of the best trade shows in the business.

The show, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC from 23rd to 25th May, has attracted no fewer than 99 new exhibiting companies, illustrating the huge interest it can generate within the industry.

FIT Show organisers are delighted that so many new companies have signed up to show off their products and services. Companies exhibiting for the first time include Gwent-based AluK, for whom – as the name suggests – aluminium lies at the heart of everything it does.

Door companies Longden Doors and Mexin Doors have both booked their spot for 2017, so too has the newly formed price comparison site for window prices for homeowners, Comparemywindows.com, as has sealants company European Chemical Industries.

The decision to move the show to the NEC has clearly proved popular with the industry, with its larger exhibition space and the added bonus of great facilities nearby, including bars, hotels, restaurants and health clubs.

The venue move, together with the thumbs-up from the industry, shows how the FIT Show is going from strength to strength.

And while remaining space is at a premium, there is still time to book a spot in which to showcase your product or service. But hurry, with all these new exhibitors coming on board, you’ll have to be quick!

Taking place 23-25th May 2017, to book a stand at FIT Show 2017 please contact Freya Humphries on: 07572 623457, or email: freya@fitshow.co.uk. To register as a visitor for FIT Show 2017 visit: www.livebuzzreg.co.uk/2017/fit17
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New innovations and market-leading products on show at FIT

CRL will be showcasing its wide range of architectural glass fixings and shower door hardware at FIT Show 2017, with many new innovations on display designed to make life easier for installers and fabricators.

During FIT Show, CRL will be adding to its very successful range of TAPER-LOC® frameless glass balustrade systems, with the new TAPER-LOC® ‘Adjustable’ System. Advantages of the new system include adjustable taper sets, which allow installers to adjust the angle of the glass forward/backwards, so they can be aligned with adjacent panels of glass, especially useful when cap and hand rails are not being used.

Available in a wide choice finishing including satin adonised and brushed nickel, the system makes it easy to replace broken and scratched panels. The quickest and safest way to install glass balustrades (with no scaffold required), the new system also enables installation to be completed from the safe side of the balustrade from start to finish.

Installers can also learn more about that CRL COMPACT-X, a compact sliding solution for frameless glass panels. Quick and easy to install, the system combines latest softbrake technology with minimalist design concealed within an upper track and can be used to create a seamless design on domestic and commercial applications.

Throughout the show, the CRL team will also be giving live demonstrations of the company’s Glass Detectors, the simple way to distinguish low emissivity coated glass from ordinary float glass. Fast and simple to use the Glass Detectors are an essential piece of kit for installers to ensure that the coated piece of glass is fitted on the inside of the unit, on the inner piece of glass.

Installers working on bathroom projects can also learn more about the large range of products for creating bespoke shower areas. From minimalistic hardware such as hinges, clamps, handles, door knobs and u-channels, to complete sliding shower door kits, available in a wide range of finishes including matt black, CRL has a full package of hardware and accessories for any space.

See CRL on Stand K60 at FIT Show 2017.

For more information please call 00 800 0421 6144, email crl@crlaurence.co.uk or visit www.crlaurence.co.uk.
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The best event for window & door specifiers for more than 20 years

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FIT Show moves to NEC with more than 200 exhibitors and dozens of aluminium exhibitors for the first time ever!

Taking place towards the end of May at the National Exhibition Centre, the Fabricator Installer Trade Show – or FIT for short – will have more than 200 exhibitors showing a huge range of the latest windows, doors and related products and equipment in a business-to-business event that has grown by more than 60% over last years event. But what makes this window and door exhibition the most exciting for at least 20 years is the sheer diversity of products.

Whilst ‘the FIT Show’ is now a household name amongst window and door manufacturers and installers especially in the home improvement sector, the ‘FIT’ acronym does not ring bells for everyone. And yet behind the brand lies the most powerful buying tool available in the UK for commercial buyers and specifiers of residential windows and doors.

With more than 200 exhibitors showing the vast majority of major and minor brands serving the UK market, the event provides a fertile buying ground for design and procurement professionals from all sectors. But what marks out this year’s event is the huge contingent of exhibitors showing aluminium window and door systems and finished products in addition to virtually every PVC-U systems supplier in the UK.

An estimated 30% of exhibitors are showing aluminium window and doors, more than at any other similar UK event for at least 20 years, providing a huge choice for visitors from all sectors. And emphasising the continued buoyancy in the market and the success of the FIT Show in satisfying the needs of buyers hungry for innovation and choice, for 2017 the event moves to the NEC for the first time, taking place from 23rd to 25th May in halls 6, 7 and 8.

 

A look at the current exhibitor list will more than justify the decision to attend, with more exhibitors signing for the last few available stands on a daily basis.

The Fabricator Installer Trade (FIT) Show, 23rd, 24th, 25th May 2017, Halls 6, 7, 8 The National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. Register now to visit here.
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Windows and doors: time to review your suppliers?

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Residential windows and doors have an impact on a building that is completely disproportionate to their cost and the overall value of the project. Of course they are essential to the function and performance of the building but the aesthetic and even emotional impact they have on a residential property, for tenents and owners, should never be underestimated.

The process of opening every project out to the market is not practical which means that a hardcore of window suppliers and brands will supply most specifiers’ needs. But there is also a great deal to be said for shaking the tree now and again to see what else is out there. After all, that is probably how you met your present suppliers…all those years ago.

Still the most effective way of identifying new potential suppliers are exhibitions. However, the failure of Interbuild and decline of other events means there is quite simply no comprehensive ‘one-stop-shop’ exhibition for professional specifiers currently.

However windows, doors, glass and other elements of residential glazing such as conservatories and porches particularly for the private and public sector housing markets, have commanded their own exhibitions and forums for almost 40 years.

Following the demise of a specialist show alongside Interbuild, a new event with the unlikely title of ‘The FIT Show’ – it is an acronym of ‘Fabricator Installer Trade’ – now provides the most comprehensive buyers guide to windows, door, roofs and anything to do with (mostly) residential glazing there has been for perhaps 10 years or more. Although its core visitor base are the companies and individuals that manufacture and fit the stuff, it is thorough and the most comprehensive and useful event around through which an effective review of glazing products and suppliers may be carried out.

With its maiden outing almost three years ago The FIT Show, which takes place this April at The International Centre, Telford, has now grown into a substantial event that will feature around 180 exhibitors in four halls representing most of the major brands of windows and doors – including composite, sliding and bi-folding – available in the UK. Add in legions of hardware, manufacturing machinery, widgets and support services and it is pretty much everything a window ‘professional’ could possibly need.

After a break of almost two years since the last FIT Show the majority of exhibitors will have something new on their stands that is being shown for the first time anywhere, so planning is recommended rather than a simple stroll around the aisles; there is much to detain the unprepared visitor.

Despite the propensity of exhibitors to keep their new wares under wraps until the event some details have leaked out. We know, for example at least four brand new window systems will be revealed at The FIT Show although one of these, a product called Lumi, has been seen at public shows over the past year. Called ‘a product that truly reinvents the window’ by the judges of a recent awards programme, Lumi offers virtually seamless, edge-to-edge glazing through windows, and residential, sliding and bi-folding doors. In fact doors, especially those of the composite and bi-folding persuasions are at The FIT Show in droves.

A spectacular must-see is the electronically tintable glass being show for the first time anywhere in the UK. Tintable in stages using amongst other things a smartphone app, it is the product of US manufacturer SageGlass, a Saint-Gobain company. And here’s the rub: the firm has replaced the whole of one curtain-walled end of an exhibition hall – no less than 314 metres2 – with its product, in what is the ultimate exhibition demo. Clayton Glass, with a stand in that very same exhibition hall, is the UK agent for the product.

If you are serious about windows, doors and glass and glazing then The Fabricator Installer Trade (FIT) Show really should not be missed. 12th, 13th 14th April 2016, at The International Centre Telford. www.fitshow.co.uk.
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