JELD-WEN and Howdens Joinery have won a top British Woodworking Federation (BWF) award for the development of a new moulded door which is more representative of true timber stile and rail doors.
Executives from both companies collected the John Hedgecock Memorial Award at the BWF’s annual dinner at the Waldorf Hotel in London on November 18.
The JELD-WEN Howdens Burford door was launched earlier this year to complement Howdens’ best-selling kitchen range and to provide a family of kitchen frontals and matching joinery doors.
The door differs from other moulded doors, which are essentially flush with moulded details, by having sub-flush panels like true timber stile and rail doors. It required the skin to be manufactured to a higher degree of accuracy and in a format for production in high volumes at low cost.
Some 2,000 Burford doors were sold per week during the first few weeks of sale, with “tens of thousands” of new door sales and extra kitchen sales so far in 2011.
About 120 joinery industry leaders, timber industry manufacturers, distributors and senior client contacts attended the 33rd BWF annual dinner.
BWF president Roy Wakeman told guests that he wanted to see the BWF’s subscription income increase from the current £400,000 to about £750,000 by the end of 2013, with membership increasing from the current 500 to 600.
Mr Wakeman said the BWF’s new website had led to a 40% increase in new membership enquiries.
He said the BWF’s Code of Conduct scheme becoming mandatory for members in January would ensure joinery companies stood up and performed properly in their business.
He also reported that revenues from the sales of labels for the BWF’s Fire Doorsets Accreditation Scheme were up this year, while a new inspection and audit scheme for existing firedoors will be launched soon.
