Editor John Roper writes that successive governments have always exacerbated the labour and skills crisis. The Labour Party says ‘we will create another 10,000 jobs’, yet nobody is turning up to those already available – there are 140,000 job vacancies in construction alone. Roper advocates some old school values – training for jobs, apprenticeships and selling young people the idea that a trade is every bit – or probably better – than a degree with no prospects at the end of it.
Tri-tri-trickle away
Dale Pegler, the technical director at CAB, asks if trickle-vent installation needs to be adapted in the face of a growing number of call backs for sill and plaster moisture-related failures?
Look them in the eye
Andrew Scott explains why face-to-face selling still opens doors and how traditional sales tactics remain essential in a digital world.
Caught in the crosshairs
The fenestration industry is staring down the barrel of a full-blown compliance crisis and it’s one we can no longer ignore, writes Apeer Door’s Asa McGillian.
Now that’ s teamwork
The synergy between sales and marketing teams is essential, writes Jo Trotman of The Residence Collection. It is built on strong communication, shared goals and a commitment to delivering exceptional service.
Exactly what we need
Greg Johnson, MD of Warwick North West, has welcomed the government's announcement of 120,000 new training opportunities and 30,000 new trade apprenticeships as a crucial step toward addressing the construction industry's persistent skills shortage.
Shelforce’s Howard Trotter will join the ‘Skills: Apprentices in Action’ panel discussion at the Glazing Summit, which will address how the sector can attract the next generation of talent and encourage greater diversity.
The Fabricator Magazine – August 2025
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Keeping the dB down
Following the European Environment Agency’s Environmental Noise in Europe report, Rehau UK CEO Martin Hitchin has called attention to the importance of windows that offer strong acoustic performance when specifying for retrofit and new-build residential projects
The future’s triple thin
Tony Palmer, the head of sales at Edgetech, explores the evolution of triple glazing with thin triples – and how Super Spacer is powering its future.