Known in the industry for providing excellent technical support for building specification professionals, designers, installers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), SFS, the market-leading fastening systems manufacturer, continues to enhance its technical support to the industry and provide collaborative support to its partners. David Wigglesworth, MD of SFS UK, explains its strategy
Collaboration is the key
At SFS, we firmly believe that manufacturers should work collaboratively across the whole construction supply chain throughout the lifecycle of a building project. It’s important for us to understand the design intent of a project so that we can advise on the best products to achieve the overall building design and performance required. Even the smallest of components, like the fixings or hinges, can complement or compromise the system chosen, whether the attributes relate to the aesthetics, quality or performance of the design vision.
We also realise that architects and designers can’t know absolutely everything about every component of the build and that’s why we have specification and technical teams to understand the variables of each specific project and work closely with design teams to select the right product for the application at the design stage. Transferring this advice into project documents via the specification is essential to provide a robust design solution that can be tendered accurately and procured in line with the contractor’s programme.
Specification Support
Receiving key specification material from manufacturers is indispensable as they usually contain important technical information that could be overlooked if a specifier completes the specification in isolation. Plus, it has the added benefit of saving specifiers a lot of time and makes data easier to incorporate into their own BIM files.
SFS can provide a range of practical resources, such as product literature, technical documentation, BIM files and ETAs, as well as the unique Project Builder software by NVELOPE, for achieving the right solution for rainscreen support systems. SFS’s technical team provides on-site pull-out tests and wind load calculations and can advise on technical issues to mitigate risks and ensure the best solution is chosen for a sustainable building envelope.
In the UK, SFS customers also benefit from a specification team that can advise on NBS clauses and ensure important specification issues such as corrosion risk, airtightness and meaningful warranties are fully addressed and that projects meet regulations and avoid costly rectifications.
Training
We also believe that education and a continual cycle of education for designers and contractors will help to improve the specification and build process. SFS offers a new RIBA-approved CPD seminar programme, providing the latest technical insights into creating high quality and safe building envelopes. Five complementary CPD seminars are now available to book, which can be delivered at clients’ offices and are worth double points to RIBA Chartered Architects. All the seminars provide up-to-the-minute technical information and guidance for designing-in longevity, safety, security, legislative compliance and client satisfaction.
With seminar topics including support systems for rainscreen cladding, envelope airtightness and thermal efficiency, fixing of warm roofs, designing roof safety systems and hinge technology, the CPD seminar programme utilises a wealth of technical know-how from right across the SFS Group.
Unique Training Facility
To offer a new dimension to its already world-class technical support, SFS has opened a unique new facility at its UK headquarters in Leeds.
The SFS Academy brings together the complete family of SFS fastening solutions, including its market-leading fasteners for roofing and cladding, Nvelope rainscreen support systems and Soter Safety Systems, in the context of a state-of-the-art training and educational facility. Developed with accessibility and interactivity in mind, the SFS Academy is equipped with a wide variety of sample products for visitors to explore, supported by the technical story that lies behind them.
At the heart of the SFS Academy will be a comprehensive training programme, which will be developed to provide structured learning for everyone in the construction supply chain.
But the SFS Academy is not restricted to SFS events. It is also open for the industry to use, with the conference and seminar rooms available for joint strategic initiatives offering seminar sessions across product or system themes and industry trends and developments.
The creation of the SFS Academy represents a major investment in the company’s UK operations, which has been based at the same site in Leeds since 1891. The Leeds base is key to the global SFS Group network, providing comprehensive technical, specification, sales and logistical support on the doorstep of British customers, as well as providing bespoke powder coating facilities for its products supplied to the UK market.
The SFS Academy perfectly encapsulates the new SFS family – SFS, Nvelope and Soter Safety Systems – with a superbly equipped platform to support specifiers, installers and OEMs. We’ve always led the market in terms of our customer support and this excellent new facility will extend that even further. We look forward to welcoming customers, suppliers and industry colleagues to the Academy over the coming months.
David Wigglesworth
Managing Director
SFS Group Fastening Technology Ltd
Tel: 0113 2085 500
Please note: this is a commercial profile.
