For over 40 years, Professional Builder has been the favoured magazine of the building trade, picked up each month from merchant trade counters by more than 120,000 tradespeople. As we delve into its February issue to look at some of the articles, latest new products and advertising campaigns from the industry’s active suppliers, take advantage of PBM’s unique insight into the buying habits of your key customers to make more trade counter sales.
Space-Plug
Time saving fixing system
PB’s regular Inventor’s Corner feature places a whole host of fantastic innovations into the spotlight each month and the February edition recounted the tale of kitchen fitter Cliff Petit’s time saving fixing system. First developed to make the fitting of kitchen base units easier, the product has since proved to be a solution for multiple on site applications and — with sales of over three million units worldwide — its popularity and distribution network continues to grow rapidly as a result.
Cliff’s brainchild is essentially a telescopic and adjustable spacer, with a cross thread that allows it to be wound in or out, and that accommodates a fixing through a central bore. He explained: “The beauty of our product is that the more tradespeople use it, the more uses they find for it. In fact, there are probably hundreds of different applications, and we know that it’s already been used for fitting toilet cisterns, boxing out, inside dot and dab walls, installing roof windows, and much more.”
He continued: “From a carpenter’s point of view, its infinite adjustability is a real bonus. The builder can work straight on instead of struggling in tight spaces or at angles with small screws. It allows you to decide how many fixings to use and where to place them, and the fixing remains accessible for the homeowner. Fewer fixings are required — as well as eliminating L brackets — and they can be installed much quicker, whilst there’s also the neatness of the finish to be considered.”
SuperFOIL Insulation
Certified multifoil products
With a focus on making a self-build project as energy efficient as possible, an article from William Brown, MD of SuperFOIL Insulation, also outlined what he argues to be some of the broader advantages of multifoil insulation solutions.
Because it is thinner, multifoil insulation frees up more internal space than traditional insulation whilst it is also easy to install and can be used to insulate walls, floors and ceilings. Similarly, traditional insulation can get wet, affecting its energy performance, whereas multifoil solutions have a vapour control layer which stops it from becoming damp and keeps it effective.
However, William asserts that the roof of a home is one of the most important spaces for insulation citing estimates from the Energy Saving Trust estimates that around 25% of heat is lost through the roof of an uninsulated house. Multifoil insulation, he says, is ideal for self-builders to use in the roofs of properties because it’s thinner and lighter than other types of insulation so is easy to handle, install, cut and seal.
Garador
Garage Doors
Smart grey garage doors are said to be surging in popularity and, due to a substantial increase in demand, Garadoris now offering Slate Grey (RAL 7015) as part of its standard range of colours for steel Up & Over doors, side hinged doors and personnel doors.
The new colour is described as being the perfect shade for those wanting to add a fresh and distinctive new look to their home.
https://www.garador.co.uk/garador-range/garage-doors.aspx
O’Keeffe’s
Skin protection products
From builders and contractors to gardeners, many tradespeople suffer from the discomfort that dry skin can bring. The O’Keeffe’s promise is to make the best skincare products for workers who rely day-to-day on their hands.
Non-greasy and free from scents and perfumes, the manufacturer’s Working Hands not only moisturises dry skin, but also protects it, giving it a chance to heal.
https://www.okeeffesco.co.uk/products/okeeffes-working-hands/
Polypipe
Ridgistorm-XL
A large diameter pipe attenuation solution, Polypipe’s Ridgistorm-XL is available in sizes from 750 – 3,000mm in diameter. Robust and adaptable, with an installed life said to exceed 100 years, it can be used for a wide range of applications, including surface water drainage, foul and combined sewers and large scale flood alleviation schemes.
Manufactured to BS EN 13476:2007, each pipe can be engineered to exact stiffness classifications, achieving an optimised design for any load class environment.
https://www.polypipe.com/about-polypipe
JG Speedfit
Underfloor Heating (Ufh)
With gas boilers projected to be phased out of new build homes in the future, andthe likes of ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) and air source heat pumps (ASHPs) taking their place, underfloor heating will emerge as the most viable heating option, according to JG Speedfit.
The company already offers a whole suite of UFH solutions to efficiently help with any new build or retro-fit installation, as well as a free estimation and CAD design service.
https://www.johnguest.com/speedfit/underfloor-heating/
Makita
M Class dust extraction
We love the line on the appropriate section of the Makita website that “dust is no longer something that can be swept under the carpet; it is a real and ever present danger within the construction industry… where airborne dust can occur.”
M Class dust extraction is now the minimum legal requirement when working with hazardous materials such as brick, masonry and timber and the company urges trade professionals not to use their lungs as the filter. Offering further ease of use, the firm’s WUT02U AWS Bluetooth adaptor can now be used to wirelessly connect cordless Makita AWS tools to activate the dust extractor — such as the VC4210M model pictured — each time the trigger is pulled.
Snickers
Waterproof and windproof working
Staying dry, comfortable and working efficiently on site is a basic requirement for all those in the trade. Snickers says that it has a solution for all situations, from basic protection in light showers to “100% waterproofness throughout a full day’s high-intensity work”.
The Hultafors Group company’s latest range of jackets, for example, are EN 343 Accredited for protection against foul weather and the image in the advert showcases the top level protection provided by the 1981 FlexiWork GORE-TEX 37.5 breathable, insulated jacket.
Festool
Connected dust extractors
There’s obviously something in the air this month when it comes to dust extraction, as this ad from Festool brilliantly illustrates its solutions for keeping the air safe and clean on site.
As the advert explains, “whether it is concrete, tile adhesive or gypsum in old or new buildings, Festool offers an uncompromising connection between mobile dust extractors and tools” to provide simple and effective health protection in every situation.
Polypipe
40 years of innovation
An eye-catching advert from Polypipe confidently outlines the 40 years of innovation from the company since its founding in Doncaster back in 1980. Telling the trade “If you think the last 40 years were exciting, you should see the future”, the ad invites readers to ‘experience innovation’ by visiting polypipe.com/40years to discover more about the firm’s range of water management solutions for a whole host of applications.
