Leading international friction stay manufacturer Cotswold Architectural Products has had its market leading hardware specified in another high-profile project, this time in China.

The project is a luxury hotel-type condominium in the city of Hangzhou, which is located in Eastern China. Cheltenham based Cotswold have manufactured over 2000 pairs of their 36 inch double [...]]]>

Leading international friction stay manufacturer Cotswold Architectural Products has had its market leading hardware specified in another high-profile project, this time in China.

The project is a luxury hotel-type condominium in the city of Hangzhou, which is located in Eastern China. Cheltenham based Cotswold have manufactured over 2000 pairs of their 36 inch double parallel stay and 1600 pairs of the 18 inch version to be incorporated within the 85.5 kg motor operated windows for the project.

The developers demanded the highest standards when selecting a supplier for the project, stressing that to win the contract the manufacturer would have to be internationally renowned with market-leading brand products and excellent pre-sale and after sales services. Managing Director Iain Morgan is delighted Cotswold met rigorous criteria once again:

“This is a very high-profile development and I’m delighted Cotswold were selected on merit for another international project thanks to our renowned products and superb service. Projects such as these specify the most stringent standards so it’s a fantastic testimonial to the quality of our products.”Cotswold is no stranger to the international stage. They supply customers in fifty-six countries globally and their products have been incorporated in some of the most impressive buildings on the planet such as the Al Salam Tower in the United Arab Emirates and the Amanta Lumpini skyscraper in Bangkok.

The name of this latest project is Hangzhou Dong Fang Jun Yue and it is scheduled to be completed by April 2012. The developer is Zhengjiang Quanjing Real Estate Ltd and Cotswold’s distribution partner in China is San-He Siegenia Aubi Hardware Windows and Doors Ltd.

“It’s great to have kicked off the New Year by supplying another major development – we ended 2011 on a high following positive growth figures and 2012 is shaping up to be a strong year for Cotswold,” Iain concludes.

Leading international friction stay manufacturer and distributor Cotswolds Architectural Products is going against the economic grain following impressive growth figures for 2011.

Sales of Cotswolds unique brand of friction stays were up 10%, following strong demand in the UK and worldwide markets and Cotswold’s Managing Director Iain Morgan is delighted with the impressive results:

When switching to the Smart Alitherm 47 System prompted the search for a suitable friction stay, WeatherBreak Windows found the ideal solution in Cotswold’s Sinidex Slimline range. The fabricator-friendly stay is specially designed by Cotswold to fit into the Alitherm 47 system and features a modified end cap so the stay sits back in [...]]]>

When switching to the Smart Alitherm 47 System prompted the search for a suitable friction stay, WeatherBreak Windows found the ideal solution in Cotswold’s Sinidex Slimline range. The fabricator-friendly stay is specially designed by Cotswold to fit into the Alitherm 47 system and features a modified end cap so the stay sits back in the profile, adding an extra 3mm to tolerance.

Cotswold invested in a re-design of its Slimline hinge following feedback from a survey carried out with Smart’s customers. In fact, Garrard Windows, a Smart System fabricator in Buckinghamshire, recommended the Slimline solution to WeatherBreak Windows. “Garrard Windows told us that the special Slimline stay and Cotswold’s service were both first class,” comments Kevin Fenlon, Director of WeatherBreak Windows. “The stay is much faster to fit with the Smart System than a standard hinge as no additional routing is required to the profile, and that saves valuable production time and cost,” he adds.

The Slimline range of friction stays is available in 8 to 24 inch sizes for top hung windows, 12 and 16 inch options for side hung windows and 12 and 16 inch Egress Easy Clean (EZ) versions, which incorporate Cotswold’s patented release mechanism for easy cleaning from the inside. WeatherBreak Windows uses the complete range in its Alitherm 47 windows. “We’re currently producing around 150 windows a month in this system and expect this to increase as demand from the domestic sector is growing very quickly,” says Kevin Fenlon.

Founded in 1982, WeatherBreak Windows operates from purpose-designed premises in Luton, Bedfordshire. The 20,000 sq ft facility has an extensive stockholding of base material and is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery.

The company has also invested in a computerised order processing system and modern vehicle fleet to provide rapid order fulfilment and offer delivery on time, every time.

For more information visit www.weatherbreak.co.uk.

Having distributed Cotswold window hardware successfully in its home market for several years, Ferbras is now securing sales in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Venezuela.

Carine Geoffroy, who joined Cotswold as Export Sales Manager in 2007, around [...]]]> Sales are soaring in South America as Cotswold’s partnership with Chilean distributor, Ferbras, goes from strength to strength.

Having distributed Cotswold window hardware successfully in its home market for several years, Ferbras is now securing sales in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Venezuela.

Carine Geoffroy, who joined Cotswold as Export Sales Manager in 2007, around the same time as the company started working with Ferbras, has played an active role in developing business opportunities in Chile and beyond. Fluent in English, Spanish and French, Carine has worked closely with Ferbras over the past four years and both companies are now reaping the benefits. A number of prestigious condominium and office construction projects in the region have specified Cotswold Sinidex and Fortis friction stays distributed by Ferbras.

Hector Torres, proprietor of Ferbras, says the South American market demands quality products and service at competitive prices. He comments: “There are a multitude of brands and products to choose from, but many are of poor quality and dubious origin. We know that by buying Cotswold we are buying the best and we are extremely satisfied with the service and support we receive from Cotswold as a manufacturing partner.”

Among the recent projects won by Ferbras for Cotswold window hardware is the Edificio don Bautista in Concepcion, the capital of the VIII Region of Chile. The new office and residential building has specified various sizes of Sinidex friction stays in both ferritic and austenitic steel for top and side hung projecting windows.

Carine Geoffroy comments: “The client on this contract particularly liked the fact that Cotswold products are covered by Ferbras’s warranty and they can access expert local support from a well established Spanish speaking supplier like Ferbras.”

Sinidex stays offer enhanced security and weather sealing through the use of a nylon reduced friction end cap and are designed to offer smooth closure and higher performance for window applications of all sizes.

Part of the Tradeframe Holdings Group, Indigo is fitting 12inch and 16inch Extreme stays in side-hung windows fabricated in its Walsall factory from the Spectus PVCu [...]]]> To meet growing demand for larger and/or triple glazed windows, Indigo Products Ltd, one of the UK’s largest trade fabricators, has added Cotswold’s Sinidex Extreme stays to its range.

Part of the Tradeframe Holdings Group, Indigo is fitting 12inch and 16inch Extreme stays in side-hung windows fabricated in its Walsall factory from the Spectus PVCu system in widths up to 950mm and 35kgs in weight.

As a satisfied user of Cotswold’s standard Sinidex stay and the EZ (Egress Easi-Clean) version Indigo Products had no hesitation in taking on the Extreme option, says the company’s Managing Director, Graham Eardley.

“Although we currently order around 5,000 pairs of standard duty stays a month, now we have taken on the Extreme hinge we fully expect this number to rise as triple glazed windows become more widely specified in the bid to build more energy efficient buildings,” he comments.

Cotswold’s Extreme range of friction stays is strengthened by the replacement of two standard duty link arms with two heavy-duty arms. It is available in four sizes: a 12 or 16 inch version with a 90 degree opening and the 12 or 16 inch Egress Easi-Clean hinges, featuring a simple mechanism to enable cleaning from the inside. The Extreme hinge is compatible with all the major profile types and is manufactured in low stack (13mm) and high stack (16/17mm) versions. Sinidex stays offer improved security and weather sealing through the use of a nylon reduced friction end cap and feature an overlap slide for enhanced smooth operation.

Iain Morgan, Cotswold’s Managing Director, says: “The Extreme friction stay provides our UK customers, like Indigo, and fabricators around the world with a cost-effective solution to the environmental trend for thermally efficient triple glazed windows.”

Indigo Products manufactures around 100,000 windows a year in its two state-of-the-art factories in Walsall and Peterborough.

Trade customers range from bespoke window and conservatory retailers to national building contractors, while the company’s retail division offers Indigo’s high quality PVCu products at trade prices direct to the general public.

For more information visit www.indigoproducts.com.

Large top hung aluminium windows in Al Salam Tower are being fitted with 750 pairs of Cotswold’s Fortis HD26/50 friction stays. Shimmering in the sun above the city of [...]]]> High life for heavy duty hinges – Cotswold’s Heavy Duty window hardware is experiencing the ‘high life’ in a new skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates.

Large top hung aluminium windows in Al Salam Tower are being fitted with 750 pairs of Cotswold’s Fortis HD26/50 friction stays. Shimmering in the sun above the city of Sharjah, the new 46-storey building consists of offices, parking and a health club on the lower floors and 34 storeys of luxury living accommodation, topped with a helipad.

Al Salam Tower’s 1,350 mm x 1,250mm double glazed windows fitted with 6mm glass posed no problem for Cotswold’s HD26/50 self balancing friction stays which can support a large commercial vent up to 2,000mm wide and 100kg in weight. Consultant Engineer, Mr Amar Al Mufti of Khatib and Alami, had no hesitation in recommending Cotswold for Al Salam Tower. He comments: “We are well aware of Cotswold’s reputation for high quality and performance having used hinges from the HD range on another prestigious project in the UAE.”

Over 2,500 pairs of HD22 self balancing stays provided a successful solution for large aluminium windows in the Al Wahda City 1 tower block complex in Abu Dhabi. Fortis HD 26/50 self balancing stays have been supplied for Al Salam Tower through Al Saifee Glass Hardware, Cotswold’s distribution partner for the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Cotswold HD hinges are manufactured from high-grade 304 austenitic stainless steel for maximum durability, even in the most corrosive environments, and are tested to 50,000 cycles. The self balancing HD stay specified for Al Salam Tower eliminates the need for additional support arms. For added strength, and to ensure that windows open and close with ease, Cotswold’s HD hinges are designed with an innovative steel/plastic slider. In addition, effective weather sealing and draught proofing are fully concealed once fitted for aesthetic appeal.

Cotswold is able to provide a fast, local service for customers in the Middle East from its warehouse in Dubai. This local stockholding facility enables immediate delivery of many products for projects across all six countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, which incorporates Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

To find out more email us at info@cotswold-windows.co.uk or use our enquiry form.

Although the feeling within the industry could be described as ‘flat’ again many of our loyal UK customers are experiencing [...]]]> With both sales and profits up this financial year, Cotswold is bucking the trend given the ongoing state of the UK economy together with all the doom and gloom that continues to fill the media.

Although the feeling within the industry could be described as ‘flat’ again many of our loyal UK customers are experiencing sustained growth. In this issue of our ezine we are pleased to bring you success stories from both Indigo Products, based in the Midlands and Weatherbreak Windows, located in Luton.

For Cotswold, our export markets have continued to develop well, with our highlights echoing the reported trends of increased business in the growing economies of China, India and Brazil.

We are delighted to have started working with a new distributor in China, providing us with Sales and Distribution in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzen and Chengdu. Also in this issue we have a feature from Carine Geoffroy on our success with Ferbras in Chile.

We try to support our export markets as much as possible and in the last 12 months we have participated in several exhibitions, see panel below.

All around the world, aesthetic and environmental issues have seen windows growing ever bigger and heavier, and our continuous programme of product development has resulted in additions to the Extreme range and the Fortis Alpha Heavy Duty range. Further products are being tested now for launch at the end of 2011, and we’ll keep you posted about their progress. We hope you enjoy reading about what we’ve been up to and the part our products can play in supporting and helping your businesses to grow.