There are further signs that colour is entering the mainstream with news that leading Network VEKA fabricator Modplan has just opened a new and larger spray painting facility at its headquarters in Newport, Gwent. Managing Director Heidi Sachs said, “There can be no doubt that colour is finally taking hold in the domestic market. We’ve seen a big increase in demand for coloured frames and we expanded our painting facility to keep pace with this increased demand.”
Heidi attributes the increased demand for spray painted frames to four things. Firstly, the versatility: Modplan can spray a frame in any RAL colour, opening up a world of possibilities. Secondly, the high specification finish thanks to the all-over colour. Heidi says, “Coloured frames aren’t always through-coloured, so the base colour is often visible when the window is open, which doesn’t look good when certain paint finishes are used. When both the interior and exterior frames are being spray painted, we also spray the areas that are only visible when the window is open, giving a much more sophisticated result.” The third reason is the flexibility it brings. Any items that are not yet available in a foiled finish can be spray painted to match foiled items, meaning that multi-product contracts can achieve a streamlined and complete look. Finally, the quality of Modplan’s finish. The company uses Kolorbond, which forms a molecular cross bond with the plastic surface for a longer lasting finish, unlike most other paints for plastics which stick to the substrate.
Colour has been a strong selling point in the commercial sector for some time. Coloured profiles offer a competitively priced alternative to aluminium and have enabled commercial fabricators and installers to grow their market share. As Heidi says, it’s in the domestic market where there are still exciting gains to be made because colour offers a way for homeowners to individualise their windows. As Modplan’s new spray painting plant shows, forward-thinking fabricators are investing in facilities that will enable them to offer rapid turnaround times and ensure that colour can be seen as a standard option not a special and ensure that colour becomes a core part of the mainstream.
Modplan manufactures a comprehensive range of products that includes three casement windows, a vertical slider, composite doors, PVC-u and aluminium patio and bi-fold doors, conservatories, the Vertex solid tile-effect roof, glass and polycarbonate conservatory roofs. For more information on any of Modplan’s products, simply Ask the Man from Modplan.