The Planitherm Network, a new range of patterned glass and glass used in premium residential projects are said to have proved to be popular with visitors to the Saint-Gobain Glass stand at the FIT Show.
Mike Butterick, marketing director for Saint-Gobain Glass, said: “We were the only flat glass manufacturer to support the FIT Show and take our place in the Visit Glass area, and it was hugely beneficial for us to be there. There was a real thirst for new products and information about glass – and a desire from fabricators and installers to discuss their glazing needs. Our seminars and our exhibition stand were focused on encouraging visitors to start to have different conversations about glass, and that’s certainly something that happened.
“The conversation has long-been about energy efficiency and ‘A’ rated windows, but for fabricators and installers to differentiate themselves they need to start moving the conversation on with homeowners, and start to talk about how glass can also provide enhanced security, reduced overheating, heat retention, noise reduction and furniture fade protection. Glass can deliver these benefits and we’re seeing that homeowners are willing to pay for these added benefits, which is why we recently reinvigorated the Planitherm Network and the Planitherm range of glass, for which there was huge interest at the FIT Show.”
Saint-Gobain Glass also launched its new range of patterned glass at the FIT Show, complete with a new brochure.
Also, with the growth of bi-fold doors and glazed extensions in the premium residential market, visitors were also given the opportunity to learn how Saint-Gobain’s range of glass could be used more effectively to create comfortable living areas featuring large expanses of glass.
Mike Butterick added: “The FIT Show was a great success for us and we have a large number of leads to follow up. It’s interesting that there are plans for the FIT Show to take place every year rather than every two years. We invested significantly in creating a fantastic experience for visitors to this year’s show and this takes a huge commitment in terms of resources, time and expense. My worry would be whether manufacturers with long-product development lead times and other commitments such as Fensterbau and GlassTec, could support an annual event in the UK and still deliver such an impactful and worthwhile experience for visitors. The industry needs an event like the FIT Show but making it an annual event could dilute its effectiveness. We all want the industry to thrive and we’re certainly very happy to showcase our products and educate the market about the opportunities that glazing presents, but the timing of exhibitions needs to be carefully considered.”
