Turn To Index

• Browse By Section
• In Focus
• Turn To Index

Sheerline has launched its new Index bi-fold. This means fabricators and installers can sell a quality British product that is easy to manufacture and install and avoids the pitfalls of buying cheap imports that flout building regulations. MD Roger Hartshorn reports.

Earlier in the year, I wrote an article about the need to buy British, not only to support British manufacturing but because of the benefits for customers of supply chain security, sustainability, high-quality products, along with agile service.

It came after a BBC article drew attention to a company that was under investigation for importing products into the UK while sanctions were in place in the country of origin. Highlighting one of the many downsides of being price-driven instead of quality-driven.

 

The issues plaguing the UK bi-fold market

Sheerline’s solution addresses these competitive pressures within the bi-fold market. Now our customers can benefit from our more intelligently designed alternative.

The problem is simple. There are low-cost, low-quality imported bi-fold systems flooding the UK market. These systems are lazily designed, largely incompatible with the UK’s stringent regulations without recourse to costly glazing or fiddly foam inserts. With price dumping causing additional issues across the board.

 

What’s the solution?

This is the question the team at Sheerline asked themselves. The solution is not only fabricator and installer friendly but is also designed to help customers maintain their competitive edge.

Sheerline’s Index bi-fold system has a streamlined product range, designed to meet 90% of orders. It supports high volume retail and contract work. It is a direct challenge to those lower quality imported products, giving fabricators and installers greater choice.

Plus, it offers all the features and benefits Sheerline’s customers appreciate. For example, not only does it offer high performance U-values, they’re the same as every door from the Prestige range, which makes them easy to remember: DG 1.4 W/(m²K), TG 1.0 W/(m²K).

Index achieves Part L compliance without foam thanks to the company’s thermal break technology, Thermlock, which is more stable and warmer than polyamide. Using insulating multi-chambered thermal breaks, to prevent heat from escaping.

 

Good looks

As well as providing the same thermal efficiency as Sheerline’s other products, Index offers the same good looks too. It features a contemporary sash, 72mm outerframe with stepped rebate, clip-on cill and uses standard Sheerline corner cleats and beads for easy integration into a fabricator’s production line and an installer’s portfolio.

 

Finishes & hardware

To keep things simple, Index is available as standard in three of the brand’s most popular colours: Hipca Gloss White, Anthracite Grey and Jet Black. Alongside new competitive hardware options from Ingenious.

Other features customers will appreciate include the use of double wheels. It also features a single roller, which eliminates the need for a dummy or floating mullion, creating slimmer more balanced sightlines. It’s also fully compatible with all Sheerline’s standard ancillaries as usual – a benefit of the companies standardised chassis design.

 

Tackling price crashing?

Sheerline has launched incentives for loyal customers. This includes five-day lead times for those buying in stillage quantities and volume discounts for one, two or more stillages. Five-day lead times backed up by first class UK based service, rather than having to order container loads on six-week delivery schedules.

Sitting alongside the existing Prestige bi-fold, which remains the company’s premium, more versatile range, Index is set for success with both contract and high-volume retail fabricators and installers.

 

Making a stand

Sheerline was developed to tackle long-standing challenges within a stagnating aluminium industry. It is the result of a lot of hard work by our in-house R&D team.

This isn’t just a call to support British manufacturing, this is a company making a stand against low-quality products with the potential to damage the reputation of the UK fenestration industry, to the detriment of manufacturers, fabricators, installers and of course, homeowners.

 

Picture: Sheerline’s new Index bi-fold door is British made and meets all UK building regulations – unlike some cheaper foreign imports.

www.sheerline.com

 

Article written by Roger Hartshorn MD Sheerline
16th September 2024

Share

---

---

Related Articles

---