Friends

Back from a lovely two week holiday! Any gossip whilst I've been away? (16 days ago)

Back in the UK after having spent most of the week in Germany at Fensterbau. If you haven't been, then you don't know what you are missing as it puts UK based exhibitions to shame. Speaking to John Cowie, Nathan Bushell and Tony Higgin at the airport on the return home and we discussed why more UK based companies don't show or why there isn't more visitors from the UK, although I would say that there were more this year than the previous years I have been. As this is every two years maybe we should look at a campaign to get more UK based companies and visitors for the next one. Any thoughts. (163 days ago)

New Comment about DGCOS – The Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme on the GlassTalk blog
As we have said before, we don't want to join in with any claim or counter-claim about any faction in this discussion. But we must challenge the repeated suggestion that no other organisation offers any effective consumer protection when our entire 14-year history stands as testimony to our achievements in this field. That said, we are flattered that not one of the DGCOS supporters in this blog has drawn any direct comparison with Network VEKA. I will not steer readers to any conclusion that I am sure they can reach without my help. (114 days ago)

New Comment about No need to have a WER on the GlassTalk blog
Kevin, The point is that installers now don't have to do anything to meet the regs, whereas before they had to get (i.e. pay for) a WER 'C' rating certificate or a report proving that their window is lower than 1.6 u-value. Or, in other words, before FENSA's letter doing nothing meant that you weren't compliant; now doing nothing means that you are compliant (as long as you use the specified glass make-up). Also, most of the debate has - naturally - revolved around PVC casement windows. Things are different for us and our PVC sash windows, and FENSA's statement has - technically - just made life a little easier for us (although we've been watching all this closely and planning our approach). We deliberately held back from leaping in and paying a small fortune to comply with the regs published in April; partly to wait for the dust to settle so that we could work out how things affect sash windows (instead of casements), but mainly because over 30 years of experience in this industry has shown us that initiatives and regulations come and go, and itâ (14 hours ago)

New Comment about National Double Glazing Installers Attacked For Misleading The Public on the GlassTalk blog
The original Which? Report is even more scathing but what made me smile was the last line of the report..... "Which? will follow up the investigation by reporting the findings to trading standards officers and the Office of Fair Trading. Which? hopes the introduction of the Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme, launched in May, will help improve the industry".... In the words of Oscar Wilde "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about"... GGF & FENSA where are you? Where is your response to this report? (66 days ago)

Two wins, 6 points, 7 goals. Surely England must be favourites to win Euro 2012 now. And probably the World Cup. (yesterday)

Now where's the Red Bull.... (103 days ago)