Winlock sticks to its guns: new products illustrate winlock’s competitive quality

It is no coincidence that Winlock is based in Telford, a few miles from the Ironbridge Gorge, considered by many as the birthplace of modern metalworking, and still the centre of a proud engineering tradition. Understandably, Philip Swann stresses the difference between price and cost when it comes to assessing the true value of a product.

'Foreign imports tend to be more standardised, which often means the end-user – most often the window fabricator – is required to customise them himself. For example, a fabricator may need to cut 5mm off every spindle in order to make them fit the window suite his company uses. The time which this takes is absorbed by the company and – typically – not seen as an on-cost to the imported product.

'Another, perhaps more obvious, on-cost is the cost of repairs. The vast majority of window failures are hardware related and the average cost of a remedial site visit is around £50. Research has shown that you only need a 1% failure rate to start losing money on installations, and those remedial costs will invariably come home to roost at the fabricator's door if it is a result of a cheap, imported product with no guarantees'.

Solutions vs. commodities

Winlock's manufacturing policy is to design a solution to a customer's need, not just a product. Philip suggests that manufacturers in the Far East are more likely to operate on the philosophy of 'Here is a cheap commodity product. You change the design of your product to suit'.

Ever changing, more stringent regulations will mean that overseas manufacturers may soon have to raise their game, or stay out of it. The new European security standard will have a testing regime that only the best quality hardware will be able to surpass. Winlock reckons it is already ahead of the game in this respect. The current test regime demands 20,000 cycles, while Winlock tests internally to 50,000 cycles; the 'Burst' test is carried out to twice the level of proposed European Standards, while the 'Lift-Up' test currently stops at 42 Newton Meters (the European Standard stipulates only 25, although chances are this will be significantly raised). 'Internal test standards will never be lowered to meet proposed European standards', says Philip.

Three business divisions

The Winlock business is divided into three parts, of which around 20 per cent is the production of handles and locking devices (mainly for rest of the Lowe & Fletcher group, which comprises plants in France, Germany, Belgium , Poland, the US and the UK) and another 20% garage door locks (for some of the biggest names in the industry such as Garador, Cardale, Henderson and the US giant Amarr).

The biggest business segment, representing the remaining 60%, is door and window hardware. Winlock is a UK manufacturer and is committed to remaining a UK manufacturer. Over 30% of its turnover is bespoke products for UK window systems companies or hardware distributors, a fact which in itself speaks volumes about the sustainability of a business producing quality-led products.

Some of Winlock's recent successes have come from its Specialist Products department.

For example, new regulations written into BS8213 are now stipulating that in certain circumstances, such as hospitals, restrictors must be fitted to windows. Recent court cases have ruled that architects, owners of public buildings, and even installers can be liable for people falling out of windows if they don't provide protection.

Designed to exceed the updated BS8213, BS6375 and BS7412 safety standards, is a new initial opening restrictor with a number of extra features. Called the 'BoaRestrictor', Winlock's solution restricts initial opening to 100mm, requiring two handed opeation to avoid accidental disengaging and automatically re-engages when the sash closes.

The BoaRestrictor will withstand 600N of loading, and, for fire egress purposes is non-key locking and can be supplied with a green button. It will also fit in the Eurogroove in line with friction says and saves costs by incorporating run-up blocks.

Products for new standards

Philip warns that the revised BS8213 is imminent – it has been sent to the printers already. 'People need to realise that hook and pin type restrictors will not pass the new standard because they do not comply with the two-handed operation. Litigation will rapidly follow the implementation of BS8213, and installers will be in the firing line', he adds.

Winlock has also produced the Parabolica pivot hinge, which will also meet the requirements of the revised BS8213.

Another recently launched specialist product which is proving sucessful is the Sure Grip handle which was designed for elderly and disabled tenants in Hackney (and which can be used in conjunction with Winlock's EasiReach espagnolette gear, which enables window handles to be positioned lower down for easier reach).

The Sure Grip handle features a cranked design incorporating greater knuckle clearance, a 'turn-to-lock' facility (no push button), a considerably longer stock for easier leverage and a large key incorporating a plastic 'over-moulded' design.

Another raft of new products – including a new and improved range of tilt-turn handles (including turn before tilt versions) are also about to be launched.

Winlock has significantly increased its response times on new product design and manufacturing with the investment in new three-dimensional software called Solid Works.

Highly design-friendly, Solid Works enables faster initial response times to customers' product briefs. Designs can be provided by email to a customer's laptop without the need for expensive 3D hardware being available.

Where more personal demonstrations are applicable, all features can be shown either on the laptop or even on a projection screen if the audience is large enough.

Variations, additions and changes to any design can be made at these meetings in 'real time' as a direct response to customer reaction. Once the design is finalised a model of the product can be ordered by the touch of a button and delivered, usually within 48 hours.

Winlock's director for business development, Graham Pearce adds: 'We can now significantly shorten the development process for new products and offer customised product design solutions in a fraction of the time previously possible and in the comfort of customers' premises.'

With roots in the West Midlands lockmaking industry and a wary eye on future regulations concerning safety and security, Winlock is well positioned to fend off foreign imports as long as they continue to operate on price while sacrificing quality and fitter friendliness.