20 industry news AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS
UK needs new council house building programme to address shortfall post-Brexit
council house building in the wake of the vote to leave the EU, which could mean private develop- ers will struggle to deliver on demand for affordable housing. Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said:
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“The UK is suffering from a chronic shortage of homes. Although the Government has reaf- firmed its commitment to addressing the scarcity, builders will be waiting for signs that confirm that this isn’t mere rhetoric. He added: “The call from the LGA for a
‘national renaissance’ in council house building is timely; we urge the Government to allow local government the freedom and support it needs to once again take a leading role in building new homes. By increasing public spend on house
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The Image Works celebrates 30 years of VEKA in the UK
clients, The VEKA UK Group as the German-owned company celebrates 30 years of UK manufacturing. “The company set up in Burnley in 1986, near
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to our former studio in Colne,” recalls Trevor Hind, MD of The Image Works. “They had just four extrusion lines then, but their interna- tional pedigree and UK aspirations were clear. Needless to say, we were keen to work with them from the outset!” Archive editions of VEKA’s periodical
newsletter show the company’s meteoric growth: “Within 10 years of UK production starting, the Burnley plant was turning out 11k tons per annum – amazing considering just 1,748 tons were produced in 1986!” Trevor continues. “In the early days, VEKA worked with a
number of agencies – some national – to estab- lish itself as the ‘go-to’ name for PVC-U systems in the UK. Our versatility allowed us to prove ourselves, firstly with a series of ‘one-off ’ brochure designs, advertising concepts, and so on; steadily becoming responsible for more and more project briefs. We oversaw the original Matrix 70 campaign – the company’s
respond online at
www.hbdonline.co.uk
ancashire-based marketing agency, The Image Works has revisited three decades’ work for one of its longest-standing
most significant product launch at the time – helping it to become the industry standard that it remains today.” 1993 saw VEKA announce PLC status,
reflecting its early successes and its ongoing commitment to manufacturing here. Where VEKA’s marketing had hitherto targeted only trade customers, its tenth UK anniversary saw the advent of Network VEKA – a pioneering installer support organisation, with a manifesto to redress the lack of public trust in home improvement companies. “The 1980s and early 1990s saw PVC-U sys-
tems become the new ‘must-have’ addition to the home,” Trevor explains. “But unscrupulous traders had tarnished the industry’s reputation. We’re thrilled to have worked with Network VEKA since its inception, boosting and main- taining its reputation for quality and ethics. From 20 founder companies, its membership now totals around 140, and few would dispute its position as the original and most respected organisation of its kind. “We introduced the online portal that allows
Network VEKA members to add their branding and details to a suite of professionally designed marketing materials, and similar facilities have been introduced to all customers of what is now
The VEKA UK Group. That includes VEKA and Halo Approved Installers and Fabricators – the Group’s second tier of installer support – that we helped launch to an unprecedented take-up, with more than 400 companies joining in its first year! “The variety of ways in which we’ve supported
The VEKA UK Group is testament to our all- embracing approach to marketing. Many in the glazing industry will recall our Elephant and Dog ads for VEKA’s Fabmatch offering, and the cur- rent #JustTheFACTS message, emphasising the sheer magnitude of the Group’s achievements here. But advertising is just one string to our bow. “From web to copywriting, photography to
display, and PR to print, we offer the full gamut of services in-house, saving clients time and money. VEKA is one of the leading PVC-U sys- tems providers in the UK, Europe and around the world, and we’re extremely proud to have played a part in that success. Long may our rela- tionship continue!”
he Federation of Master Builders has welcomed the Local Government Asso- ciation’s call for a “renaissance” in
building, homes will become more affordable and at the same time, significantly decrease the housing benefit bill.” The LGA’s research showed that four million
working people will need access to some form of affordable housing even if the country achieves full employment by 2024. However it says that if the UK “fails to to train millions to take the higher skilled and higher paid jobs projected to be created by that time, demand for affordable homes will be much higher.” It added: “Eco- nomic uncertainty facing housebuilders following the Brexit vote could make it difficult for private developers to rapidly build enough homes on their own.” Berry commented: “Uncertainty is beginning
to weigh on the private sector, and support for a significant upscaling in social house building would send out a strong, reassuring message.”
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