Story

To mark our 25th anniversary we were pleased to receive a visit from His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex on Tuesday 15th of January.

The Earl was entertained over lunch by ASD Lighting’s MD Tony Stewart along with company directors and members of staff who are celebrating their own 25th anniversary of working for ASD.

During the visit the Earl toured the factory and offices to view the recent multi million pound investments made by ASD in new plant and facilities. The Earl also visited the Lighting Projects and Product Design departments and received a demonstration on the latest developments in rapid prototyping at The Product Workshop.

Before he left the Earl unveiled a plaque to mark his visit and to celebrate the 25th anniversary.

View ASD Lighting's profile:

Story

Building upon its runaway success with Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt, Crown Trade has launched a similar flat matt emulsion into its Timonox range. Now specifiers can have the best of all worlds… aesthetic appeal, colour choice, exceptional durability and the peace of mind that only flame retardant coatings can offer in areas covered by recent fire safety legislation which need extra time for evacuation in the event of fire breaking out.

Crown Trade Timonox Scrubbable Matt is a VOC 2010-compliant water-based emulsion boasting the chalky flat matt appearance, outstanding durability and scrub-clean finish for which Crown Trade's original Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt has built an enviable reputation. The big difference is that Crown’s latest new product is also flame retardant which means it can help to deliver a Class 0 fire performance rating in high traffic areas, such as schools, hospitals and social housing, as well as hotels, private residential and leisure facilities.

Suitable for use on both new and previously painted substrates, Crown Trade Timonox Scrubbable Matt is available in Brilliant White and a wide range of tinted colours shown in the new Crown Trade Colour Collection, so specifiers and their clients need not sacrifice colour choice in order to benefit from the fire safety benefits offered.

The new coating is intrinsically dirt resistant. Many marks can be easily wiped away with water alone and scrubbing with a cloth soon gets rid of tougher soiling. For more deep-seated stains, scrubbing with a mild detergent will eliminate all traces without marking the paint finish.

Timonox Scrubbable Matt retains its 'just painted' appearance, even after repeated scrubbing, because the amount of paint film sacrificed each time soiling is removed is minimal. Achieving Class 1 in ISO 11998:2006 scrub rating tests, the painted surface can be scrubbed clean time and time again without any sign of burnishing or loss of flame retardant characteristics.

View Crown Trade's profile:

Story

Clarity – The stunning new collection of exterior luminaires from ASD Lighting – a truly comprehensive range offering a dazzling array of styles, colours, finishes, configurations and lamp options to suit a wide range of applications.

Clarity brings together all the best design and installation features found in ASD products with one clear vision; to deliver a distinctive and precision-engineered range that is stylish, eye-catching and bold.

Features

• Portrait or Landscape mountable
• Louvre, Eyelid, Cage or Ring trims
• Coloured halo options
• Black, White or Titanium finishes
• Range of lamp and control gear options
• Switch start or High Frequency
• Energy saving options include lamp
• Diffuser available in opal and Fresnel prismatic
• Fast fit base and geartray
• Single screw fixing front trims
• Interchangeable trims
• Secure, IP rated diffuser
• Photocell
• Tough polycarbonate construction
• Designed, Engineered and Manufactured in UK

View ASD Lighting's profile:

Story

Sadolin Ultra is being specified by Hackney Homes Planned Maintenance following successful trials at Banbury House, where the highly translucent woodstain was recently used to redecorate over 450 window sets plus fascias and soffits.

Gary Lane Principal Contracts Manager said: “Ultra was presented as a practical cost effective alternative to the two-product woodcare system we were using for cyclical maintenance work. Keen to benefit from up to seven years decoration and protection, we put it to the test.

“This was a straightforward maintenance application of Ultra Mahogany topcoat to previously stained joinery. Two full coats brought all the wood back to the same deep tones, delivering a consistent translucent finish across the board.

“Our operatives were very happy with Ultra’s application characteristics and the ease of achieving a high quality finish. They also appreciated not having to carry two tins to every work station or change brushes as they weren’t swapping from base stain to topcoat.

“The trial was a great success delivering excellent results for our tenants and receiving a resounding 'thumbs up' from our decorators. Wherever and whenever we need to use a translucent woodcare system for planned maintenance work, Hackney Homes will be specifying Sadolin Ultra from now on.”

View Sadolin's profile:

Story

Passive fire prevention is a major factor in any new build or refurbishment project. With this in mind Marshall-Tufflex launched a versatile range of Dry Lining Boxes in conjunction with the highly successful Envirograf Intumescent fire barrier gaskets. The gaskets offer up to 71 minutes in a dry-wall fitting and comply with edition IEE Wiring Regulations and Document B of the UK Building Regulations.

In the event of a fire, the cover plate of a socket, switch will sag and disintegrate, leaving a perfect escape route for flames to travel up the cavity and into an adjoining room or ceiling. The gasket expands in the presence of heat and creates an effective fire barrier.

This Envirograf fire protection is also available with a variety of other Marshall-Tufflex products, including wraps for PVC-U trunking or conduit systems and pillows for filling a trunking void. Different shapes, sizes and thicknesses are available.

Electrical contractors and building design professionals now have a legal obligation to ensure that the properties they design construct or refurbish, comply with the current regulations. By incorporating Envirograf passive fire prevention products into the M T range will especially help to protect lives and reduce fire damage claims.

View Envirograf's profile:

Story

ELGA Process Water’s high quality water softeners meet the diverse requirements of industry for softened water

ELGA Process Water’s range of competitively priced BerkoionTM water softeners are suitable for a wide range of industrial applications including low pressure boiler feed, glass washing, cleaning and rinse waters, reverse osmosis pre-treatment and general manufacturing water.

The BerkoionTM range is produced in the company's IS09001:2000 accredited manufacturing facilities, the units use high capacity cation exchange resins, are based on proven designs and feature corrosion resistant GRP resin vessels and polyethylene brine tanks. Three ranges are available.

The BerkoionTM Compact range, suitable for small commercial applications, offers flow rates from 0.5 to 3.0 m3/h. Units have a highly compact design with integrated brine tanks. Volume or time based automatic regeneration and multiplex versions ensure continuous output and maximum flexibility. “A” Series units are automatically regenerated after four days without use and are completely disinfected during regeneration.

The BerkoionTM Classic range is for industrial water applications of up to 17m3/h, units are available in simplex and duplex configurations. Automatically regenerated models are time, volume or sensor controlled. These models employ Bercore™ counter current regeneration to reduce salt usage and waste, thus both lowering the cost per litre of treated water and improving final water quality. Units incorporate advanced controllers with LCD user interfaces, which may be integrated with centralized control systems.

Models in the BerkoionTM High Flow Duplex range produce up to 68m3/h of softened water to meet the demands of most large scale industrial applications. The units incorporate multiple individual valves, which reduce pressure loss by up to 50% compared to single valve systems. As with the BerkoionTM Classic models, regeneration uses the Bercore™ counter current system, with a choice of volume or sensor initiation to ensure maximum efficiency and low operating costs.

BerkoionTM softeners are supported by ELGA Process Water’s comprehensive after sales service. For further information on BerkoionTM softeners visit www.elgaprocesswater.co.uk

View Elga Process Water's profile:

Story

Ceramic granite ventilated cladding supplied by Shackerley has been used in an innovative manner to enhance the exterior elevations of Allingham Court, a prestigious complex of luxury apartments in The Bishops Avenue in East Finchley, often referred to as “London’s Billionaires’ Row”.

The award winning development, comprising 12 individual residences ranging from £4 million to over £11 million combines modernism with vernacular architecture. The outer envelope features a striking combination of red brick, terracotta tiling and large format white-grey ceramic granite facade panels, manufactured and sized to simulate Portland Stone in a contemporary idiom.

Lesley Lawson of Scurr & Partners in Redbourn, Hertfordshire was the project architect responsible for designing and delivering the original PKS Architects’ initial proposals for the palatial building. Explaining her specification for the outer envelope she said: “Whereas ceramic granite is predominantly used to create sleek monolithic rainscreens, we wanted to use this versatile material to create a different aesthetic. We’ve used the panels not only as a conventional cladding material but also to create distinct pilasters, boxes and columns which change the planarity of our elevations and deliver the appearance of stone but with a very contemporary twist.”

Lesley adds “We considered a number of different materials including limestone but from the outset ceramic granite cladding presented a very cost effective and practical alternative. It offers flawless consistency and strength and the panels are very durable and relatively lightweight compared with a naturally quarried stone.

“Shackerley have their own versatile Sureclad carrier system and in-house cutting and prefabrication services, so we could have almost any panel format we wanted. We worked closely with the company to determine the most appropriate panel sizes in terms of cutting requirements and ease of handling for our contractor, Baris. Our rather complex designs also gave rise to a large number of specially cut panels for use on the columns and as infill pieces. Shackerley prefabricated all the panels in their Lancashire production facility which enabled Baris to fast track their part of the project and complete the ceramic granite cladding installation in just two months.”

Lesley concluded: “We are incredibly pleased with the overall appearance of Allingham Court. It has been a very prestigious development to work on and we’ve delivered a stunning building. I’m now completely sold on the versatility and aesthetic and performance benefits of Shackerley’s ceramic granite and am planning to incorporate the material in conjunction with the Sureclad system on many projects in the future.”

View Shackerley's profile:

Story

Mira Showers will be exhibiting for the first time in its own right at the KBB Show, which takes place from 2 to 5 March, 2008 at the NEC, Birmingham. The main highlights of the stand will be products from the recently launched Autumn Collection, including the range of miniature-sized Mini mixers, the design-led Orbis electric shower, available in white and revolutionary black, and the environmentally friendly ECO handset.

Mira’s new Mini mixers are half the size of conventional mixing valves, yet deliver the same great performance you would expect from a Mira product. The Mini range, which follows the global trend towards miniaturisation of high technology items, will be available in built-in and exposed single sequential control valves (Minilite), built-in and exposed concentric control valves (Miniduo), and a new format of exposed vertical dual control valves (Minibelle and Miniluxe). To cater for retrofit installations of a standard sized valve, an adjustable elbow pack is available, allowing the Minilite and Miniduo inlet centres to be adjusted from 133 to 153mm. This ensures the valves can retrofit all current Mira products as well as many other shower brands, without the need to move or adjust inlet pipe work.

Minilite, Miniduo and Minibelle are complemented with Mira fitting kits and the stylish Miniluxe shower is provided with a new deluge head and rigid riser. The Mini range offers the consumer added style options at a competitive price, and gives both installers and retailers even more opportunities to recommend a Mira branded product.

The stylish Orbis, available in white and a stunning new black finish, is set to steal a share of the design-led, upper-mid market electric shower sector. Orbis offers thermostatic control with LCD technology – a first for Mira. Positioned at a similar price point to the Mira Escape, the Orbis provides a link between the traditional ‘white box’ on the wall and the stylish, design-led Azora and Galena products. As well as displaying temperature, Orbis also features a clock, a first in the shower market for electric showers.

Orbis is available in 9.0kW, 9.8kW and 10.8kW models, each with three power options. The slimline case features soft curves and a simple circular-shaped, push button power selector. Thermostatically controlled with safe maximum temperature limit for added user protection, this high performance product is suitable for new and replacement projects and will retrofit current Mira Sport showers and some competitor products.

A specially dedicated and designed ECO Area will be included, illustrating the high level of commitment Mira gives to developing products that are sympathetic to the environment. The display, which will have particular appeal to customers interested in ‘green’ issues, will feature the new ECO handset. To be sold alone, Eco is suitable for use on mixer and power showers (not suitable for electric models). Designed to reduce the amount of water normally used by up to a massive 75%*, which in turn will offer users huge savings in energy to heat the water.

The adjustable Eco handset offers three aerating spray modes that reduce water consumption while still giving a great performance. The ‘ecofficient™’ technology uses a Venturi principle – introducing air without a pump. Mixing air with the water spray creates larger droplets filled with air bubbles. The droplets explode on impact and produce similar coverage to conventional, finer sprays giving the impression of increased volume of water and a refreshing shower.

Mira is anticipating a huge demand for the handset from both the private sector as well as hotel groups and house builders where there is a growing responsibility for improving the energy use within a household. Available in white and chrome, the Eco handset is competitively priced. A BIR version is also available, and new packaging has been developed that is also environmentally friendly.

View Mira Showers's profile:

Story

The 2009 ACR News Industry Awards gala dinner, held at Birmingham’s National Motorcycle Museum on 25th February, was a very special evening for Guildford based Space Airconditioning plc; as for the 6th consecutive time at this biennial industry event, Space Air was judged worthy of a major award.

The prestigious ACR News Awards are contested by many leading players in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry, which coincides with the sector’s main exhibition at the NEC. Space has won the “product Distributor Award” no fewer than 5 times and in 2003 the company was presented with the “Marketing Initiative Award”.

The Awards were presented by actor/comedian Hugh Dennis and as he handed the coveted trophy to Neil Afram, Managing Director of Space Air, the compere announced – “Guildford-based Daikin distributor, Space Airconditioning plc has, through its detailed submission, once again convinced the judges of its leading position in the field of distribution. Another great achievement for Space Airconditioning Plc.”

A proud Neil Afram commented, “This award is a very important accolade for us. It acknowledges our continued commitment to providing the industry’s very best in air conditioning distribution services – as we have done since becoming Distributors for Daikin Europe in 1980. Every member of staff at Space Air makes his or her valuable contribution and this award is thanks to them”

Space Air was also pleased to see one its long-standing customers, the Adcock Group, winning Contractor of the Year award.

View Space Air's profile:

Story

View Mapei's profile: