NEWS
FRAMEXPRESS TO DONATE % OF PROFITS IN BRIEF
• After years with AluK and
eight years as MD, Russell
Yates has announced his
decision to step down, in order
to pursue his long-term
ambition of business
ownership.
He will be joining
Blackburn-based aluminium
fabricator, AluFoldDirect, as a
key shareholder and managing
director.
Since becoming managing
director of AluK in ,
Russell has helped to grow the
business six-fold and has
spearheaded an investment
programme, which has seen
AluK create a Ž,ft2
production facility in
Chepstow.
He commented: “I have
enjoyed every moment of my
time with AluK and feel
incredibly privileged to have
worked with such a supportive
and talented team. The
company means a huge amount
to me personally. I joined my
father’s small family business
and discovered my passion for
the business and love of this
industry. As we all know, this
industry has a way of getting
hold of you and making you
feel part of the fenestration
family. It goes without saying
then that I am sad to leave, but
I know I am leaving the
business in a very strong
position and a major brand
leader. Even given the current
situation, I am sure it will
continue to realise its potential
with such an outstanding team
in place.”
Russell’s replacement at
AluK will be Justin Hunter,
former MD of Reynaers UK.
Framexpress has pledged to donate %
of its
profits to the NHS Charities
Together COVID- Urgent Appeal. The
appeal has been launched to raise £
million to support the NHS staff and
volunteers caring for COVID- patients.
Stuart Green, director at Framexpress,
said: “The whole nation is doing their
bit to protect our NHS and save lives by
staying at home. We wanted to show our
gratitude to the key workers within the
NHS who are putting themselves at risk
every day to help people affected by this
awful virus. So, we are donating % of our
profits to NHS Charities Together
COVID- Appeal.”
The NHS appeal is funding wellbeing
packs and gifts for NHS staff and
volunteers, including food deliveries,
snacks, refreshments, wash kits and
overnight stay kits, travel, parking and
ULTRAFRAME ACQUIRES GLOBAL, CELSIUS & STRATUS
Ultraframe has announced that it
has acquired the Global, Celsius and
Stratus roofing products from Aperture
Trading, in a deal that includes tools and
equipment, but excludes customer or
supply arrangements.
At the time of going to press,
Ultraframe had also outlined plans to
re-open its factory on May, with a
limited workforce and output, and with
strict hygiene, safety and social distancing
measures across its Clitheroe facility.
An excerpt from Ultraframe’s
statement following the acquisition
follows: “We note that the sales of Global
roofs had fallen dramatically from annual
sales of c.£”
m around five years ago
to a run rate of under £m this winter,
pre Covid-. In recent years, there has
May www.ggpmag.com
accommodation costs and other items to
aid their wellbeing.
For the remainder of the year,
Framexpress is also offering a
%
discount off its window and door
products that are fitted into the homes
of NHS employees, so installers fitting
Framexpress products can pass this extra
discount onto their customers.
Stuart added: “As the Clap for our
Carers campaign is proving, there is a
massive appreciation for the work being
done by NHS and carers during this
incredibly challenging time, it only felt
right for us to offer our support too.”
Anyone can donate to the NHS
Charities Together COVID- Appeal –
visit: www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk
been a shift away from glass roofs to solid
pitched roofs and to flat roof extensions
within the home extension market. This
market trend accounts for some of the
decline of the Global roof although the
scale of its decline is symptomatic of
more fundamental issues within the wider
Global product offer.
“The Celsius and Global roofs are
complex systems with the Global roof
having around ,
parts. A large
amount of Global parts were extruded
or sourced from the Huthwaite extrusion
plant, which has also been mothballed by
the administrator.
“While we will talk to all industry
stakeholders to understand the future
potential of reintroducing elements of
these roofing systems at a later date,
relaunching them in the current economic
climate is not feasible.
“The Stratus lantern is different, being
a much simpler product with just over
parts and therefore it is more feasible for
Ultraframe to manufacture Stratus from
its existing facilities.
“We hope that with our track record
of improving roofing products, and the
fact Stratus is a much simpler product,
we can restart production of the Stratus
lantern soon.”
Tim Bateson, restructuring director at
KPMG, said: “Whilst we are continuing
to market the remaining businesses and
assets of the Company, we’re delighted
to have completed this sale, which
will recover value for the company’s
creditors.”
Russell Yates
Stratus roof lanterns
/www.ggpmag.com
/www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk
