Neaco launches new fireproof decking solution for balconies
Neaco, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of modular balcony flooring, has introduced an innovative new decking concept to its well-established Neatdek range.
Neatdek HW’s cutting-edge design incorporates a unique U-shaped concealed drainage channel. This system sits beneath the discreet gaps in the decking surface and directs water away from the balcony. This protects balconies below from water ingress and removes the need for balcony soffits and downpipes. It also provides a safer, anti-slip surface for residents that is easy to maintain. Not only does the hidden drainage system below the decking make Neatdek HW aesthetically pleasing, but it also offers high levels of privacy by restricting the view from above and below, making it ideal flooring for balconies.
Engineered to the highest standard, the popular aluminium Neatdek range reduces the risk of balcony fires and increases safety due to its fireproof properties. All products adhere to the Government’s proposed changes to the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018, which would see a ban on combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings.
All products meet the Euroclass A1 fire rating – the highest achievable score for non-combustibility – and are fully compliant with Class 0 of Approved Document B ‘Fire Safety’. They also have the highest possible rating (0) in the BS 476 Fire Test Series, in the categories of Non-Combustibility, Ignitibility, Fire Propagation and Surface Spread of Flame.
Installation of Neatdek is simple thanks to its excellent spanning capabilities. It reduces the need for structural supports in balcony build projects, saving on the cost of labour and materials.
Lloyd Dalton, International Sales Manager at Neaco, commented:
“Fire safety modifications for balconies are increasingly being stipulated due to concerns about fire risk, which is why aluminium decking is being specified more and more by architects and project managers. It is also a third of the weight of steel, but still offers excellent load-bearing strength, and is incredibly durable and long-lasting. This demand has seen significant investment in the development of our Neatdek range, with Neatdek HW as our latest addition.”
Farewell and thank you, Liz!
Neaco said farewell to a valued colleague last week when Liz Harrison, our Office Cleaner, retired.
Liz has been with Neaco for just over four years. She has maintained exceptionally high standards and made friends throughout our head office in North Yorkshire. Neaco’s Financial Manager, Rachel Chitu, presented flowers, champagne and a gift voucher to congratulate Liz (pictured right) on her retirement and express gratitude for her service. Liz will now enjoy more time to do her favourite things, which include needlework, dog walking and playing with her grandchildren.
Rachel said:
“We bid farewell to Liz and wish her a wonderful retirement. She started working here in 2014, initially as maternity cover, but she has since become a very familiar face – here we are, four years and six weeks later, and we are grateful for all the hard work she has done in that time. Liz has been a valuable member of Team Neaco and a true asset. She has battled with Henry, our company hoover, and lost, but recovered to tell the tale! I would like to wish Liz a long, happy and healthy retirement.”
Everyone at Neaco would certainly echo that sentiment – thank you, Liz!
Outstanding new care home features Neaco balustrade and balconies
Neaco’s structural glass balustrades and Juliet balconies are adding a touch of contemporary style in keeping with the outstanding modern design of a new £6m care home in Brighouse.
Providing 61-bed luxury accommodation, Bridge House was designed by SS+A Architects and constructed by Marshall (Building Contractors) Ltd of Elland on behalf of the Fisher Care Group. The collaboration has delivered an exceptional scheme which maximises the elevated views from the challenging but spectacular ridge-top site. Its design incorporates innovative amenity spaces for residents to enjoy, including an impressive roof garden, indoor garden room and music room.
Neaco’s structural glass balustrades system has been specified for external terraces and the roof garden, enabling residents to take in the panoramic outlook from the top of the building. The glass has been installed at an extended height with an offset handrail in a powder coated finish which is smooth and comfortable to the touch. Five of the bedrooms feature Neaco’s glass-panelled Juliet balconies, providing a stylish modern finish which offers an aesthetically attractive alternative to the cage-like appearance of meshed and railed balconies.
Bridge House incorporates a range of eco-friendly features, including ground source heating and solar panels, as well as under floor-heating throughout and a high specification offering a host of modern fittings and appliances. Other facilities include a hair salon staffed by carers, a games room and a cafe which local people are also invited to use.
Founded in 1986, the Fisher Care Group specialises in high-quality residential and nursing placements for respite and permanent care. In addition to Bridge House, the company currently accommodates over 100 residents in four homes across North Yorkshire. Each home is designed to provide a tranquil, caring environment with professionally-trained staff focused on the individual requirements of residents and their families.
Neaco also designs and manufactures a range of other architectural products, including walk-on balconies, stainless steel balustrade, industrial balustrade, adaptive bathing facilities and aluminium open grille systems for decking, screening, cladding and solar shading. All products come with a lifetime guarantee.
Balustrade shows lasting appeal at lakeside retreat
A luxury lakeside retreat in North Wales is exemplifying the lasting appeal of Neaco’s balustrade systems, almost ten years after they were installed.
The property was greatly extended and opened as a B&B/Christian centre in 2009. Neaco’s aluminium powder coated balustrade was specified for the external decking, balconies and terraces, using glass panel infills to maximise the spectacular views over the scenic Llyn Tegid, also known as Bala Lake, in the foothills of the Snowdonia National Park. In 2015 the building was purchased by current owners, Robert and Ann Marie Moore, who re-opened it as Glan y Gro, a seven-bedroom B&B. In the two years that followed, Glan y Gro welcomed over 2,000 guests and rose to become TripAdvisor’s top-rated B&B in Bala. At the start of this year Robert and Ann Marie temporarily closed the property for an exciting redevelopment which has converted the accommodation into four luxury self-catering lakeside suites.
Robert and Ann Marie have transformed Glan y Gro with a host of new materials and contemporary fittings, including kitchenettes and double-ended whirlpool baths. Much has changed but Neaco’s balustrade – renowned for maintenance-free durability and enduring aesthetic quality – has been retained as an integral feature of the new luxury retreat. What’s more, Robert and Ann Marie have decided to specify additional Neaco balustrade for a new balcony which forms part of their redevelopment project.
Robert explained his decision to retain and extend the use of Neaco’s balustrade:
“As part of this project we had additional balcony built so that each suite had direct access to its own balcony, thus improving the whole offering. Naturally the balustrade already fitted is ideal in affording a degree of protection from the elements whilst having minimal impact on the glorious views we are blessed with. It was an obvious decision to order the additional balustrade from Neaco.”
With the project now complete, Robert and Ann Marie have started to take bookings again. Take a look at their website to see the results of the stunning transformation at Glan y Gro – http://www.glan-y-gro.com/
Neaco decking chosen for another landmark bridge
Neaco’s aluminium decking has been specified for another landmark bridge project at Bécon-les-Bruyères train station which forms part of the extensive redevelopment of the Zac des Bruyeres Courbevoie in Paris.
The striking new footbridge is the key feature of first phase of modernisation carried out by contractors, Groupe GCC. It now facilitates access to routes for travelers and allows residents the passage of Asnieres-sur-Seine at Courbevoie. Bécon-les-Bruyères is one of the busiest stations in the suburbs, with more than 20,000 passengers per day, and is set to become a major interchange with upgraded platforms and passenger buildings. The overall development is being led by joint project managers, RFF and SNCF.
Neaco’s National Sales Manager, Peter Melia, comments: “Neaco can now boast an outstanding list of high profile bridge projects which have specified our Techdek system for pedestrian and cycle paths. The product is featured on some of the most acclaimed designs in the UK and Ireland, including the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the Media City Footbridge in Salford Quays, the Twin Sails Bridge in Poole, the Peace Bridge in Londonderry and the Living Bridge in Limerick. We are delighted to add Paserelle Becon-les-Bruyeres to that list.”
“Techdek’s T-Bar profile provides a 74 per cent contact area on the surface yet drains water efficiently and its swage-locked construction between the bars enables high load bearing capability. The system is durable, maintenance-free and comes with the option of a serrated anti-slip surface for safer footing. This combination of attributes makes Techdek an ideal specification for the high traffic demands of an urban bridge and its versatile modular system can adapt to unusual angles and curvatures, allowing it to meet the creative aspects of designs like Paserelle Becon-les-Bruyeres.”
As well as offering bridge-friendly qualities, Techdek has many environmentally friendly attributes: the system is non-toxic, non-combustible, corrosive-free and 100 per cent recyclable with no downgrading of its properties and very little energy required for re-melting. Precision-manufactured off site and easy to assemble with no welding required, Techdek is suitable for many other applications, including staging, modesty screens, solar shading, maintenance galleries and roof access walkways.
Fireproof decking on show at LANDSCAPE
Neaco will soon be appearing at the forthcoming LANDSCAPE exhibition to showcase our latest range of A1 Fire Rated decking systems.
Taking place at Battersea Park on 18th and 19th September, LANDSCAPE is the UK’s leading trade event dedicated to bringing the landscape industry together. The show attracts garden designers, landscape architects, landscape contractors, local authority landscaping professionals, architects, facilities managers and interior designers from all over the UK and beyond. LANDSCAPE hosts an entirely free seminar programme of truly international standing with some of the most prestigious names in the industry and over 75 different speakers covering a wide range of topics.
Neaco’s stand (E47) will feature our fireproof decking systems which provide an ideal combination of style, safety and durability. Offering a choice of grille profiles with a surface contact area ranging from 10.6% to 100%, our A1 Fire Rated decking is precision-engineered to provide exceptional slip resistance which can be further enhanced with an optional serrated surface. All systems are manufactured from aluminium which is also fully compliant with Class 0 of Approved Document B ‘Fire Safety.’ Each option provides efficient drainage and ventilation. Neaco decking features our patented swage-locked construction which provides high structural efficiency. The systems are lightweight (1/3 of the weight of steel) yet strong and high in load-bearing capacity.
The grilles can adapt to unusual angles and curvatures, allowing them to serve creative aspects in landscape design. Modular panels can be manufactured to bespoke sizes, including holes cut to accommodate existing features such as tree trunks. The decking also provides fast installation with efficient fixing systems and no need for welding or other hot works. The aluminium is corrosive-free, with a design life up to 120 years, providing maintenance-free use and far greater longevity in comparison to wood-based decking solutions. Aluminium retains its colour extremely well, unlike other materials which are prone to bleaching with prolonged exposure to sunlight.
A range of A1 Fire Rated decking systems, including full technical and performance information, will be shown on Neaco’s stand – if you’re planning to attend LANDSCAPE, come and say hello!
