Foiled windows command premium

The process of lamination is known to be a highly specialist and skilled task. But what is not so often fully appreciated is the extent to which the advanced technical properties of the foil itself can aid production and add benefits further down the supply chain.

Many system houses and fabricators out-source some or all of this specialist and critical process to dedicated foiling companies, such as Foilex. Established for more than 10 years, Foilex is one of the leading trade laminators in the UK.

‘A key attribute of our success centres around delivering exceptional service and quality to customers’, states Foilex General Manager, Richard Morris. ‘Speed of service, our ability to laminate highly complex profiles and the quality of woodgrain designs all make a difference. This is why we stock as standard the Cova XL range of exterior grade veneers from Cova Products. Cova XL’s technical properties promote fast and effective lamination time after time. Their wide range of sophisticated woodgrain designs and plain colours enables us to offer our customers a reliable quality service with confidence.’

New designs

Woodgrain veneers have long been recognised to provide an alternative to white PVC-U windows and are a method of adding value, design and choice in the market…….. the newer designs enhance and complement the system profile shapes to produce sophisticated and extremely desirable window products for the consumer which command premium prices and improved margins. Cova Products are well recognised as the innovative design leader amongst the foil manufacturers. The launch of the original Sherwood Oak, further pioneering designs such as the Piedmont Rosewood, and the more recent trilogy of Shogun effects, all add testimony to this fact.

Scratch resistance

However, if the finished window is damaged by the time it is unveiled in-situ a lot of money, time and reputation can be lost. This is where the quality of foil applied really matters. Cova Products identified scratch resistance as one of the four main areas where improvement provides real benefits right down to the end of the supply chain.

Extra benefits of Cova XL now include improvements to:

• Scratch Resistance
• Processability
• Heat Resistance
• Weatherability

Foilex is particularly pleased with this improvement in scratch resistance. Even with film protection, laminated profiles can suffer surface damage before installation is complete. Fabrication, handling, transport and fitting all offer potential threats. Small scratches and marking of the surface can affect the performance of the foil and may also result in complaints from customers about the appearance of their new windows.

Cova XL is now supplied with the new ‘Sovereign’ emboss, designed to substantially reduce the visibility of slight surface scratching and marking. The end result for the customer is better looking windows, the end result for the supply chain is fewer complaints. Any organisation that is accredited to or aiming towards ISO 9001:2000 or other recognised quality management system accreditation where Customer Satisfaction Measurement is a requirement will appreciate the importance, says Cova.

‘Our aim has always been to lead the market in design, with appealing realistic prints united to a technically excellent product’, says Cova Products’ Marketing Manager Leeson Hughes. ‘These recent improvements have come about as a direct result of the close working relationships we share with our customers, such as Foilex.’

‘At Foilex we like to do everything we can to ensure that customers receive damage free expertly laminated profiles every time. Using Cova XL helps us keep our promises’, continues Richard Morris. ‘The improved scratch resistance of Cova XL represents a real advance in terms of the finished look of the windows. Ultimately this translates in to fewer complaints, which are both time consuming and expensive to rectify, and therefore higher levels of customer satisfaction.’