Geberit targets installers: expansive rainwater range to tackle this £65 million market

Today’s window fabricators and installers are keen to use their expertise to extend their service offering. Roofline is an excellent example where the order for windows can be a good opportunity to discuss further labour saving home improvements for the customer. The maintenance free home exterior is a major consumer desire and longlife PVC-U roofline materials including rainwater systems make a first class extra sale.

As a major industry supplier of rainwater systems, as well as plumbing and drainage systems, Geberit Terrain has developed over the years a range of high quality products designed to meet the many and varied needs of the installer.

Transparent pricing move

Early last year Geberit Terrain broke with the traditional rainwater price list based on high levels of discount and introduced a simple, transparent pricing structure allowing prices to be easily compared whatever outlet the installer purchased from. As well as eliminating the confusing complexity of rebates, at the same time list prices were significantly reduced, allowing roofline companies to purchase Geberit Terrain quality at highly competitive prices directly targeting the specialist plastics distributors growing rapidly to challenge more traditional suppliers.

But the market is not just about price. Quality and reliability are equally important. No one wants to be called back to replace product which fails to live up to expectations after a couple of years as this is costly and inconvenient and does little for the installers reputation.

A quality rainwater system can be expected to last for many years and Geberit Terrain systems comply with all the latest EN standards to ensure the products provide long-term reliable solutions. Considerable investment is also committed to product improvement and innovation.

New standards

The recent EN607 standard applies improved quality control to all gutter and gutter fitting profiles whereas its predecessor BS 5476 only applied to half round guttering systems. The new EN607 is supplemented by EN1220 which covers downpipes and downpipe fittings together with EN1462 for gutter brackets. The standards relate to performance of all the elements of each individual rainwater system and to achieve these new standards has required analytical testing of each rainwater system and production testing. Over and above the requirements of the standard, Geberit Terrain continues to test all production items rather than simply the required occasional sample.

At the same time, an improved finish has also been progressively developed on all Geberit Terrain rainwater ranges to provide a higher gloss to coordinate with today’s cellular foam PVC-U roofline finishes.

House styles

The Geberit Terrain range of rainwater products complements the variety of house styles and comprises five different rainwater ranges combining a choice of aesthetics and system capacity and covering markets from domestic housing to industrial developments. The range includes Crescent half round system – a simple classic shape suitable for houses and small commercial buildings. Corniche is a square system and Omega is an attractive ogee profile system, both of which are suitable for bungalows, conservatories, Georgian and distinctive houses. Streamline is a high capacity rectilinear system and Rapidflow is an elyptical system. Again both are ideally suited to larger houses and commercial properties with high capacity requirements.

A new downpipe bracket has been introduced in the 68mm range with a modern, aesthetically pleasing design. The downpipe bracket is a return to the ‘saddle style’ bracket designed to grip the pipe during installation.

Products have all been developed to incorporate deep elastomeric seals for a permanent watertight joint and all screw points are located outside of the wet area. All fittings are designed with expansion gaps for thermal movement. Hydrodynamic shoulders on all running outlets ensure maximum capacity and minimise risk of blockage. The dry jointed spigot-socket downpipe system provides a leak free system that is fast and simple to install. All are manufactured to European standards and supported by a comprehensive technical design service.

The window fabricator and installer now has a range of styles to choose from, a competitive and understandable pricing structure, quality products to meet the latest standards and high-level service support.

With the market estimated at around £65 million, it is a very significant addition to the window and roofline sector and offers a wonderful opportunity for window companies to gain extra business.

Geberit Terrain believe that quality products can help to establish window companies credentials for quality work by using reputable brands which will provide long term satisfaction.