Neaco’s New Durable Colour Coating Range

We love aluminium here at Neaco, but we know that the aesthetic can sometimes be a bit too much of a contrast from traditional decking, for certain developments. This is why we are excited to announce our new Durable Colour Coating range. As part of our standard range, we currently have three contemporary colours to choose from; Anthracite Grey (RAL 7016), Dusty Grey (RAL 7037) and Chocolate Brown (RAL 8017). Of course, if something different is required, we can coat to any required RAL colour.

This coating range is highly durable and was created especially for coating aluminium components used in modern-day external architecture. Additionally, they have all the necessary requirements for approval under Qualicoat Class 2 Category 1, so rest assured our durable colour coatings will stay looking beautiful and new for longer.

The thermosetting powder contains polyester resins cured with fit curing agents specially selected for their hard-wearing properties, outstanding colour retention, and superior resistance to UV radiation and outdoor weathering.

As well as being aesthetically pleasing and highly durable, our colour coatings are able to achieve top marks for fire rating when applied onto any of our aluminium decking options; this means that they are fully compliant with the new building regulations that came into place in December 2018. These building regulations prevent the use of flammable building materials in external wall systems and balconies on residential buildings with a floor above 18m from the ground. Further details about this can be found here.

As with any coated product, these coatings will be damaged if subjected to the impact of a heavy or sharp object falling or scraping on the surface.

Neaco’s Managing Director, Alan Green says, “we’re very excited about adding the new durable colour coating range to our offerings. It is going to enable architects to closely replicate the look of more conventional decking materials and allow them to produce more varied designs, while reaping all of the benefits that aluminium offers, such as being fire resistant, robust and lightweight”.

Although we’re big fans of the natural aluminium, we also love the look that is achieved by applying the durable colour coatings. We believe that these hard-wearing coatings enhance our aluminium products and can increase the aesthetic of any development.

If you’d like to order a sample of our new standard colours, please get in touch HERE.

Rhiannon Takes on a HOT New Role in the Office!

Our Sales Processor, Rhiannon has recently taken on the role of the Sales Office Fire Marshal.

Wearing her fluorescent yellow Fire Marshal vest, Rhi will be responsible for making sure everyone from the Sales Office, staff kitchen, meeting rooms and bathrooms have left the building safely in the event of a fire. 

The UK government states that, as ‘the responsible person’, Rhiannon must:

• Risk assess all of the locations that she is responsible for and review this regularly

• Let the rest of the office know about the risks that have been identified

• Determine and maintain the appropriate fire safety measures

• Have a plan in place for an emergency

• Keep staff informed of fire safety instructions and training

Rhi says, “I’m thrilled to have been chosen as the Sales Office Fire Marshal. It gives me the responsibility of ensuring that my lovely colleagues are safe in the event of a fire, although I hope this will never be the case. I also like the fact that I have been given a ‘high vis’ Fire Marshal jacket which sits lovely on the back of my desk chair, making me look and feel more important!”

We are sure that Rhiannon will do a great job in her newly acquired role and feel safer knowing that she has everything under control!

Neaco’s New Recruit

Jamie Smith is now working in our Internal Sales department and has already had a successful first week!

Jamie graduated from Hull University with a first-class degree in Criminology. The focus of Jamie’s dissertation was the Grenfell Tower disaster, which is an extremely poignant topic within our industry as this has led to a recent change in legislation surrounding external building materials (you can read more about this change here).

Both the care sector and criminal justice sector make up Jamie’s working background, so being people-oriented and an effective communicator will definitely help him out in his new role here at Neaco.

Jamie says, “so far I have massively enjoyed my time at Neaco. The office culture and dynamics have made me feel as though I am part of the team from day one. I have been given constant support and direction and everyone is lovely, helping me to settle in and develop”.

When asked what he thought of the company, Jamie added “learning about the products in detail has reinforced my decision to choose Neaco as an employer. They provide unrivalled products that not only meet, but go far beyond regulatory standards and, due to my academic background, this is something I am very passionate about”.

Neaco Sales Manager, Katrina Chalupka says “I’m looking forward to helping Jamie advance his career and think that his positive attitude and enthusiasm for the industry will ensure that he is very successful here at Neaco.”

The aim for Jamie is to develop his sales skills, with the help of the company, and to become a pivotal member of the team. We think that Jamie is already settling into the role well and have very positive expectations for his future here!

He also brought cake into the office during his first week so what more could we ask for?!

If you’d like to get in touch with Jamie directly you can drop him and email: Jamie.smith@neaco.co.uk

How Can Neaco Help Improve Your BREEAM Rating?

Over the last few years the topic of environmental impact has become an increasingly important factor for key decision makers in the construction industry. This is perhaps due to both reasons of morality (we would all like to think we are doing our part to help the environment) and because it helps with a project’s overall BREEAM rating.

What is BREEAM?

BREEAM independently certifies the sustainability of a building project. There are a number of stages during the built environment life-cycle when the assessment and certification can take place; from design and construction to operation and refurbishment.

Sustainable building relies, in part, upon the choice of materials that are used. One of the building performance criteria that’s outlined in BREEAM is the dismantling and recycling of building components. This means that building supplies can help to improve the BREEAM rating of a project simply by increasing the percentage of recycled and recyclable materials.

The construction sector has the potential to use much more recovered material. The key for the supplier market is to increase recycled and recyclable content without compromising the technical performance of the products.

How can we help you improve your BREEAM rating?

Every material has its own degree of recyclability. At Neaco, much of our product range is manufactured from aluminium alloy, which offers a natural advantage as it is up to 100% recyclable. For decades, we have been setting higher targets each year for the recycled content of our manufacturing output and we also recycle 100% of our off-cuts.

In addition to the types of materials used, the construction methods in which a project is completed can also contribute to it’s BREEAM rating. For more complex manufacturing methods (e.g. balustrade) there is an advantage to using suppliers who provide pre-engineered systems, as opposed to building products partly or fully fabricated on-site, where processes are less controlled and many perfectly recyclable remnants can end up in a landfill. Suppliers that complete all manufacturing at the factory stage can use much less energy compared to on-site manufacturing, and can recover and recycle any off-cuts to be used in future projects.

Modular systems that are assembled/connected without hot works (e.g. welding) are ideal for a project’s BREEAM rating – their low-energy manufacturing serves the need for responsible construction practices and site impacts.

Incorporating a larger amount of recycled and recyclable materials into a build and incorporating products that are made off-site is beneficial not only for a development’s BREEAM rating but also for the planet that we all share.

A New First-Aider at Neaco

We have a new first-aider in the Neaco Sales Office!

As we have mentioned in a previous article, our Sales Office Manager, Steve Howard retired earlier this year. Steve had been the Sales Office first-aider for a vast number of years so this meant that another member of staff needed to be appointed. Our newly recruited Marketing Executive, Tori was nominated and sent away for an action-packed day of training in Malton with Yor Training.

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require all employers to provide suitable equipment, facilities and personnel to make sure that their employees receive immediate medical attention if they happen to become unwell or obtain an injury during the working day.

Tori says, “I found the one-day First Aid at Work course very useful and I’m now confident that I will be able to handle almost any medical situation that may happen in the workplace – although, I hope I will never have to!”.

We are delighted to announce that Tori has successfully gained an ITC Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work. The course covers an array of different topics, including how to correctly use an AED, resuscitation, choking and treatment for minor injuries – the sales office staff are in good hands!

Happy Anniversary, Cheryl!

Happy anniversary to Cheryl Heslington who has now been with Neaco for 1 year!

Chez initially joined us as a Customer Liaison but then, as demand called for it, tried her hand at Internal Sales. Recently, her administrative expertise and in-depth knowledge of our systems have meant that she is now needed as a Sales Administrator.

Over the course of the last year, and partly as a result of Chez’s varied roles within the company, she has become our go-to bathing product specialist; there’s nothing she doesn’t know about our Bathing range and is always happy to help.

Chez says “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first year at Neaco – what a great bunch to work with! The various roles that I have held have given me a wealth of knowledge within most areas of the Sales Office and have allowed me to focus specifically on the Bathing range. I hope that I will be at Neaco for a very long time”.

After fast becoming a key member of the Sales Office, Chez is now a much-loved member of staff at Neaco. We wouldn’t be without her and hope that she stays with us for many more years to come!