Aluplast unveils new global product offering at UK held conference

Aluplast has showcased a trio of new product innovations at its series of International Innovation Days aimed at sharing knowledge and best practice amongst its fabricator base world-wide. Held recently in Cardiff, this included the global launch of Woodec, Aluplast’s next generation PVC-U foil, bringing exquisite and life-like woodgrain detailing to low maintenance PVC-U products. The German systems leader, also chose the event, to unveil its highly innovative Smart-Slide inline sliding door, for the first time in the UK. This employs highly innovative hardware to combine ultra-smooth operation with self-closing technology, creating an exceptional weather seal.

Aluplast’s new slim-sightline and modular PVC-U flush casement, developed specifically for the UK and launched in September, was also showcased. Ian Cocken, Director of Sales and Marketing, aluplast, said: “The decision by Aluplast globally to stage it’s international innovation days in Cardiff, reflects its commitment to the UK and the importance and regard in which it is held, as the second largest market in Europe for PVC-U products after Germany. The global launch of Woodec, at the event and the unveiling of Smart Slide for the first time in the UK, plus our new UK flush casement, is testimony to that and the cutting edge innovation that aluplast is delivering worldwide.”

The innovation days also included a series of guest presenters including, Haffner’s Mike James and Dave Thomas, who discussed the latest innovations in machinery and timber-type/traditional 90∞ welds in PVC-U flush casement manufacture and Graeme Bailey, Businessmicros, who argued for a shift in the industry to deliver increased value throughout the supply chain through optimisation. Other speakers included James Clayson, DGlass, who made the case for ‘up-selling’ PVC-U; Keith White, Managing Director, Aluplast in the UK, who charted the growth of the UK heritage market for this largely international audience, plus Maco’s Craig Bryant on hardware innovation.

Capable of spanning openings of more than 4m wide by up to 2.5M high, Smart-Slide is the latest of three new UK product launches by Aluplast in the last two-months. The 70mm sliding door system has been developed to deliver significant efficiencies in fabrication and exceptional through life performance. Maximising the glazed area and able to accommodate 28mm through to 40mm glazed units, it delivers U-values as low as 1.3 W/m2K. This is launched less than a year since Aluplast’s Lift-and-Slide door which delivers U-values as low as 0.65 W/m2K and the capability to span distances openings of 6.5m X 2.8m with just two sashes.

It also follows last month’s launch of the Aluplast flush casement, developed to offer ultra-slim sightlines with a low chamfer running out to the IGU. This has been made possible through a reduced front to back depth. It’s also been developed to integrate fully with both the established aluplast Ideal 70 and Ideal 4000 systems. This minimizes the requirement for additional stock holding, while allows aluplast fabricators and installers to offer their customers access to two distinct flush casement systems. Cocken added: “As a global business, Aluplast has the resource and capacity to invest in global leading product innovation. That’s something which you can see from the development of our new flush casement, Woodtec and the new aluplast Smart-Slide, which translates into a direct commercial advantage for our customers here, in the UK.”