By Phil Slinger – CAB CEO
Most home improvement companies today now offer an aluminium option for discerning homeowners, indeed, most PVC systems companies now have their own aluminium systems that sit alongside their PVC systems. Virtually all suppliers of aluminium systems in the UK and Ireland are members of the Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) and a growing number of fabricators and home improvement companies are joining CAB to be recognised in the Industry.
Formed in 1994 by the bringing together of three existing trade associations; the Architectural Aluminium Association, the Patent Glazing Contractors Association and the Aluminium Window Association, today CAB actively represents the fenestration supply chain across the UK and Ireland. Specifiers recognise the well known and respected CAB logo and associate it with leading companies in the industry.
Not only is the CAB brand strongly associated with quality, the Association also offers a wide range of interactive events for its members who collectively form the voice of aluminium used in construction across the UK & Ireland. Members of the CAB team, located in Stonehouse in Gloucestershire, represents its membership on many national standards, setting bodies and government agencies.
The Association continues to develop to meet the rapidly changing fenestration landscape that seeks to achieve thermally efficient fenestration systems to meet our need for sustainable ‘low-carbon’ homes, businesses and public spaces. This is a particularly difficult challenge for the UK as we have some of the oldest building stock compared to other countries. Building refurbishment and home improvement leads the way ahead and the Association wishes to engage more fully with this sector of the market to offer its support in meeting the deadlines set by our government.
But, it is not only product development that needs to be sustainable, businesses also need to be sustainable and the recent CAB initiative ‘Journey to Net Zero’ forms the path ahead for the Industry both in business processes and products. There are significant challenges adopting this challenge and the time has never been better for the Industry to draw together to drive achievable change in the coming years.
CAB has recently initiated its membership drive in the home improvement sector, outlining the benefits of joining the Association and promoting product development based on one of the world’s most abundant metal, aluminium. Without aluminium, the advancements in engineering technology over the last century would simply not be possible.
The membership drive explains the support services offered by the Association, but more importantly, it is about belonging to a ‘family’ where businesses meet and network, to the benefit of the whole industry creating one voice for future change.
CAB’s next networking event will take place at the Museum of Football in Manchester, guest passes for non-members are available, so why not engage with CAB and find out what the Association can do for your company.
Should you wish to learn more about the use of aluminium, please contact CAB directly, or why not consider joining the Association and be recognised as being involved in supporting your Industry and helping to shape its future. More information on our website at c-a-b.org.uk
