Polypipe Building Products, the leading manufacturer of above and below-ground drainage systems for the residential housebuilding sector, supplied the Elegance Colour range of guttering and downpipe systems to the 14-home Orchard Croft development in High Green. 

The homes designed at Orchard Croft use high pitched roofs, meaning that water from rainfall can enter a guttering system at a much higher flow rate. The Elegance Colour range of robust guttering and downpipe fittings and fixtures offered the developer a high performance system that provides sufficient capacity for the efficient disposal of heavy rainfall, flowing from a high pitched roof.

In addition, all Elegance Colour systems, available in square and sovereign profiles feature PVCu fascia brackets, top and side rafter brackets, and rise and fall brackets in galvanized metal to provide excellent support to the guttering system year upon year, which meet BS EN 12056-3: 2000 Roof Drainage recommendations.
Erris Homes chose a cast iron black from the Heritage range of colours available through Elegance to match the key features of the homes including doors and window frames.

Polypipe, which has worked with Erris Homes at a previous site in Leeds, also supplied technical support service from the sales and technical teams throughout the project. 

Polypipe’s offers a range of high-capacity rainwater systems designed for areas that are vulnerable to high levels of rainfall.

Scott Leather, Commercial and Technical Director at Erris Homes said:

“This is our first development in Sheffield and as such, quality is paramount when you’re hoping to successfully establish a brand in a new area.

We are launching another new development in Sheffield and word of mouth among home buyers is so important in an industry like ours.

It was our hope that the quality of our homes, which is supported by Polypipe’s products, including their striking rainwater systems would be a key feature in supporting sales. This has proved successful as we only have one remaining property left to sell on the development.”

Laying underfloor heating will become faster and easier thanks to our latest Underfloor Heating system Overlay Plus.

Overlay Plus system is EIGHT times lighter than the standard gypsum board currently used (1.2kg compared to 10kg per board) and installation is also made easier as there is no need for any power tools – a Stanley knife is enough to cut the flooring to shape. There is less dust and mess produced during installation, and tiles can be fitted directly on top of the Overlay Plus boards.

We are constantly striving to improve products and systems and this latest innovation will mean savings of time and space for installers and more efficiency in energy-consumption for customers.

The new Overlay Plus boards are also larger in area and, thanks to the insulation core and aluminium lining, have been shown to increase the performance by 10 per cent.

Overlay Plus can be used on new-builds, refurbishments or extensions and will give a robust and reliable finish.

Giles Coombes, Polypipe Underfloor Heating Product Manager, said:

“The underfloor heating market is growing exponentially as householders realise how efficient the systems can be. We believe that it will increase even more in the next year and want to make sure installers can take advantage of the increase in demand. 

 

Polypipe is continually striving to overcome the issues faced by installers and, with this market-leading innovation, we believe we have done it again. 

 

This this new technology means that underfloor heating can be fitted more easily, less expensively and much faster. This will be a boon for installers and reduce installation time to keep customers happy.”

This new innovation comes as Polypipe Building Products celebrates our 40 years of being at the forefront of the plumbing and heating market. We promise to keep innovating and producing the highest quality products for the next 40 years and beyond aswell.

To discover more about our Underfloor Heating range, visit www.polypipeufh.com.

At Polypipe, we choose Polybutylene to manufacture our pipes to create the most flexible and efficient pipe and jointing systems available. This is ideal for both domestic hot and cold-water plumbing and heating systems, providing exceptional durability and long-term performance.

Our pipes come with Pro-Straight technology, giving you unparalleled ease of use during installation. To put it simply, Pro-Straight means that our pipes can be laid straight, straight from the coil. With no time spent untangling pipes, it means you can get the job done more easily and efficiently.

There are many benefits to using our pipes with Pro-Straight technology:

• Ready to use straight from the coil
• 5 layer Barrier Pipe
• Remains highly flexible from the coil
• Lightweight and easy to handle
• Fast and easy installation
• Good cabling ability
• Suitable for use in most plumbing and heating installations
• British Standard Class S rated to BS7291 Part 1
• Kitemark Licence Number 38148 to BS7291 Part 1 & 2

Our Pro-Straight pipes are also compatible with our full range of plastic plumbing fittings:

Pro-Straight technology is part of our Enhance range. Enhance is our mark that signifies investment in innovation. You can find out more about enhance by clicking the image below.

If you have followed us at all over the past few years you will have by now heard about our Registered Heating Engineer Network (RHEN).

The RHEN is made up of industry certified, Gas Safe registered Heating Engineers who have completed a BPEC qualification in warm water underfloor heating – and who have undergone practical training on all Polypipe Underfloor Heating systems at one of our training centres.

We value our RHEN members and the quality of work that they do. That is why we have decided to extend our full system warranty from 2 years to 5 years exclusive to RHEN members only. This covers any Polypipe Underfloor Heating installations that include all Polypipe manufactured or supplied products (e.g. pipe, manifolds, system filters and controls). Full T&C's apply.

If you are a homeowner or RHEN member looking to find out more about our 5 year extended warranty you can do so here:

If you are a heating engineer looking to find out more about joining our Registered Heating Engineer Network you can do so over on our Underfloor Heating website: 

If you are a homeowner looking for your closest RHEN member, you can search using your postcode here:

It is now two weeks since the Prime Minister introduced the regime of tighter restrictions in order to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for BEIS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, and the Secretary of State for Environment, Communities & Local Government have all stated the importance of maintaining capability in the construction sector, although inevitably there has been a reduction in activity during this time.

Polypipe Group Plc is playing a role in a variety of ways during this crisis.  We have supplied ventilation equipment to two emergency hospitals, with a further four projects being supplied in the coming weeks.  We are manufacturing visors to supplement the PPE supplies of the NHS, and we have donated a lot of our own stock of PPE to front line carers.  Elsewhere, our products continue to be installed in the emergency hospitals that are being built around the UK, as well as some of the essential maintenance work that is going on within existing facilities.  More broadly it is essential that our product ranges remain available for repairs and maintenance for other key sectors, such as food supply, utilities and infrastructure.

Polypipe’s businesses have remained open to serve customers, albeit with a significantly reduced number of colleagues in work.  The health, safety and well-being of our colleagues and customers is of course paramount.  Colleagues are working from home where appropriate, and various measures have been put in place to achieve safe working practices across our sites, and in the ways we are delivering to our customers.  Our customer service and support teams remain available to handle any enquiries.

It is now two weeks since the Prime Minister introduced the regime of tighter restrictions in order to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for BEIS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, and the Secretary of State for Environment, Communities & Local Government have all stated the importance of maintaining capability in the construction sector, although inevitably there has been a reduction in activity during this time.

Polypipe Group Plc is playing a role in a variety of ways during this crisis.  We have supplied ventilation equipment to two emergency hospitals, with a further four projects being supplied in the coming weeks.  We are manufacturing visors to supplement the PPE supplies of the NHS, and we have donated a lot of our own stock of PPE to front line carers.  Elsewhere, our products continue to be installed in the emergency hospitals that are being built around the UK, as well as some of the essential maintenance work that is going on within existing facilities.  More broadly it is essential that our product ranges remain available for repairs and maintenance for other key sectors, such as food supply, utilities and infrastructure.

Polypipe’s businesses have remained open to serve customers, albeit with a significantly reduced number of colleagues in work.  The health, safety and well-being of our colleagues and customers is of course paramount.  Colleagues are working from home where appropriate, and various measures have been put in place to achieve safe working practices across our sites, and in the ways we are delivering to our customers.  Our customer service and support teams remain available to handle any enquiries.

Find more about Daniel Staniforth, our BIM (Building Information Modelling) Manager at Polypipe Building Products.

What is your position at Polypipe and how long have you been there?

I’ve been working at Polypipe Building Products for about 2 and a half years now but I previously worked for Polypipe Ventilation and was there for around 2 years.

What does a typical day at Polypipe look like for you?

Reams of product data, lots of spreadsheets and a lot of work in Autodesk Revit to develop models. 

What are three words you associate with Polypipe?

Successful, Evolving, Inclusive

What is the best part of working for Polypipe?

As a Polypipe employee I’ve personally found that opportunities are given to you where you work hard and show your talents. Support and training are offered where you need it, so it’s a great place to grow.

Lots of changes have happened within our department and around the business recently so it’s an exciting time to be part of the Polypipe team. I’m sure that willingness to adapt will put is in a positive place to bounce after recent events.

What is your proudest moment at Polypipe?

We recently breezed through our stage 1 gap assessment for our BS8541 gap assessment. A lot of hours went in to getting us here compared to where we were so it was validation of the hard work everybody has put in across the group.

There’s some work to do yet before our Stage 2, which will get us our kitemark license, but I’m confident we’ll get there.

If a movie was made about your life, who would you like to see cast as you?

Daniel Radcliffe

Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?

 Pembrokeshire, Cornwall, The Lake District

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us?

I’ve walked from one coast of the country to the other, because, why not?

Last year, Polypipe Building Products introduced Polysoil to the above ground drainage market. PolySoil is the most comprehensive and technologically advanced ring seal soil system available to the UK today. The new range is available to merchants and stockists across the UK and contains a host of new features that mark a new chapter for a product group that has largely remained unchanged for a generation. 

Here Paul Jackon, our Above Ground Product Manager, outlines what merchants and installers need to know about this year's must have above ground drainage product range.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

The guiding principle for soil products has been ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. But with homeowners willing to invest more in bathrooms, ensuite bathrooms and additional toilets, Polypipe, the leading manufacturer of above and below ground plastic drainage systems, looked into what more could be done to ensure installers had access to a soil and waste range that is fit for the demands of a modern home project or renovation.

Following consultation and research with installers, Polypipe has launched PolySoil™, an innovative range of new ring seal soil products for the UK residential market, designed to make installation faster and simpler for plumbers and contractors. Each aspect of the range has been developed to help alleviate common issues for installers during soil and waste installations and to provide added assurance that a ‘fit and forget’ approach can be used.

Key Features

The new PolySoil™ range brings together enhancements including solid component construction, sleek design and innovative features that demonstrate the very best of British design ingenuity and manufacturing capability, such as single-piece moulding technology and a new blue fixed Ring Lock Seal.

The unique fixed Ring Lock Seal is made up of the blue Polypipe seal and a specially engineered ridged stay-shape ring to lock everything in place, ensuring maximum seal integrity. This means no distortion, no dislodging or drop through of the seal allowing for quick and easy installation of a waste system in any situation.

As soil systems can expand and contract depending on the water temperatures running through a fitted system, the traditional snap cap fittings can become compromised and lead to failure overtime. PolySoil™ has been designed to improve the long-term performance and integrity of the soil system.

A further benefit of the engineered design is that the sleek design provides a more compact fitting making a soil stack easy to fit in more compact spaces, such as in a small bathroom or utility room installation.

The range holds Kitemark BS EN 1329, for additional quality assurance, is certified to BS4514, and fittings are available in 82-160mm sizes. All of these features have been developed to enhance product reliability and provide the installer and the end user with a peace of mind that a PolySoil™ system is set for a lifetime.

The range is available in a number of colours suitable for any residential application where the soil system may be visible, including black, grey, white and brown.

Added Benefits

Furthermore, the product labelling on each component includes easy to use QR codes providing an installer with access to enhanced details about the product, making it easier to find and order further components as required. The label is waterproof and easy peel so no unsightly hard to peel labels left on the soil stack.

The PolySoil fittings are complemented by the multi-layer recycled core waste pipe. The piping is manufactured with BioCoteÒ, an antimicrobial additive that helps to prevent damaging bacteria build-ups and blockages within a system. Polypipe products that integrate BioCoteÒ have been independently proven to reduce more than 99% of microbes.

For an installer this range of enhanced benefits when using the PolySoil™ range is designed to improve the installation methods an installer undertakes, and to leave behind a soil system that is set to perform for years to come.

Polypipe have teamed up with HPS to bring you an easy way to purchase products for your next Underfloor Heating project online.

We have taken the Polypipe Estimate tool and combined it with the HPS online ordering platform so that it is now possible to go directly from your UFH estimate, to a complete purchasable basket of items with the click of a button - saving consumers valuable time.

The Process

The process is simple.

1. Firstly, enter the appropriate customer and project details into the estimate tool. This will allow you to export the estimate to PDF for your records, or to be sent through to a customer. Then enter key details such as room size, floor type, pipe spacing and room location.
2. Secondly, progress through to choosing the products which are right for your job. The tool will automatically show you the products available to you based on the project information you entered in step one, including what you would need for your room size and what thermostats you can choose from. You can choose from our basic range, through to our premium wireless range - which has lots of other features available including compatability with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Home Kit.
3. Finally, once your products have been selected you will have a shopping list style outcome where you can go through and adjust quanities or amend your quote as needed. Once you are happ with everything you need for the room(s), you can generate an estimate.

The 'New' feature

Next comes the feature that we are all most excited about, 'direct HPS checkout.' 

If you click that button it will take you directly to the HPS online ordering platform with a ready-made basket of all of the products from your Underfloor Heating quote.

You can check out all of the items needed for your project and a member of the HPS team will package up your order and deliver it direct to your specified address.

It could not be simpler!

This feature is new to the Underfloor Heating market. You could do this anywhere; from the comfort of your sofa to your lunch break on the job!

Why not try it out for yourself?

You can create an account and get started at www.hpsmerchant.co.uk.

Estimate Tool Walkthrough

If you need any help with the estimate tool, we have created a walkthrough video taking you through each stage.

To find out more about Polypipe Underfloor Heating and the systems that we have available visit www.polypipeufh.co.uk.

Polypipe is celebrating after landing an internationally-recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards.

Polypipe has received a RoSPA Gold Medal (8 consecutive Golds) Health and Safety Award for working hard to ensure its staff, customers and contractors get home safely to their families at the end of every working day.

Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running H&S industry awards.

Kris Ramsey, Polypipe Group HSE Director, said:

“We are very proud that once again the hard work in continually improving health and safety standards has been recognised by RoSPA in awarding us a Gold Achievement Award for the eighth successive year. Most importantly, by continuing to work together to prevent work-related injuries and ill health, the real winners are our colleagues and all those that come into contact with Polypipe.”

Julia Small, RoSPA’s head of qualifications, awards and events, said:

“The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, but it receives entries from organisations around the world, making it one of the most sought-after global accolades in health and safety.

“RoSPA wants every employee, wherever they are, to work safe in the knowledge that they will be going home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day. The RoSPA Award winners are vital to help achieve this goal, as by entering they are driving up standards and setting new benchmarks for organisations everywhere. Currently, around 7million people are directly impacted by the RoSPA Awards, but the scheme’s influence is even wider.”

The majority of awards are non-competitive and mark achievement at merit, bronze, silver and gold levels. Gold medals, president’s awards, orders of distinction and the Patron’s Award are presented to organisations sustaining the high standards of the gold level over consecutive years.

Competitive awards go to the best entries in 24 industry sectors including construction, healthcare, transport and logistics, engineering, manufacturing and education.

There are specialist awards for health at work, environmental management, safety delivered outside of the workplace, and fleet safety, and excellence trophies for the best international organisation, new entry, workforce involvement, leisure organisation, and organisation operating or based in Scotland. RoSPA’s top accolade is the Sir George Earle Trophy.

Headline sponsor of the RoSPA Awards 2020 is NEBOSH – the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health – for the 15th consecutive year.

For more information about the RoSPA Awards visit www.rospa.com/awards

It's not long now until Polypipe get to have their moment at #InstallerFESTIVAL 2020!

To cope with the current situation surrounding COVID 19 Installer magazine have taken their yearly trade show virtual this summer so that Installers, businesses and manufacturers can still all interact and find out about new products and releases.

Polypipe Underfloor Heating Product manager Giles Coombes will be taking part in a Q&A on Tuesday 19th of May to cover many of the myths surrounding underfloor heating, as well as the Polypipe Registered Heating Engineer Network, the support we provide as a business and also our brand new system #OverlayPlus.

What's more on the day, Installer will be giving away one of our top value Virgin Experience vouchers to one lucky installer or merchant employee worth £250!

Keep an eye on the @installermag twitter account on the day for details and the link below to watch Giles during his Q&A https://youtu.be/Jom3qSj9dm8.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 is a chance for the UK to focus on mental health.

This year's theme is #kindnessmatters, with the week running from 18 - 24 May.

The focus on kindness is a response to the coronavirus outbreak, which is having a big impact on people's mental health.

Some people have mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, which means they have feelings that won't go away and which start to really affect day-to-day life.

Mark Rowland, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said:

"We want to use Mental Health Awareness Week to celebrate the thousands of acts of kindness that are so important to our mental health. And we want to start a discussion on the kind of society we want to shape as we emerge from this pandemic."

What is meant by kindness?

Kindness is choosing to do something that helps others or yourself, motivated by genuine warm feelings.   

Kindness, or doing good, often means putting other people’s needs before our own. It could be by giving up our seat on a bus to someone who might need it more, or offering to make a cup of tea for someone at work.  

Evidence shows that helping others can also benefit our own mental health and wellbeing. For example, it can reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem and happiness. 

There are so many ways to help others as part of our everyday lives. Good deeds needn’t take much time or cost any money.  

Small changes can make a big difference.  

Remember to be kind to yourself

• Prioritise some “me” time, so you can relax and reflect on how you’re feeling and how your day or week has been so far  

• Turn off from your social media channels for a day, or even a week  

• Treat yourself to something small, such as buying or planting some flowers  

• Do something you enjoy, like listening to a favourite song or dancing in your kitchen  

• Spend some time in nature, which is good for our mental health   

You can find out more about mental health awareness week via the Mental Health Foundation website or find out more about the NHS's #EveryMindMatters campaign here.

Content Credit: BBC and Mental Health Foundation.

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown and so many people placed on furlough, we thought it was the perfect time to update our E-Learning modules here at Polypipe Building Products. 

They are great for any Installer or Merchant employee who have some spare time and would like to brush up on their knowledge of Polypipe products.

You can check out our updated Above-Ground E-Learning modules as below:

Remember you can let us know how you got on on social media. You can find us @polypipetrade on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Merchants can benefit from the most significant change to below ground drainage product regulations in recent years, with all water companies agreeing to a standardised approach to the construction of foul and surface water drainage systems.

Polypipe Building Products is advising our merchant partners that the new arrangements for the adoption of sewers means that merchants can supply a greater range of solutions for sewerage systems, including light-in-weight plastic-based systems.

This will have particular impact in regions including the South East, where legacy materials such as concrete and clay have been traditionally used for adoptable applications.

The new Sewers Code for Adoption guidance includes a standardised set of delivery procedures and, crucially, a Design and Construction Guidance document that replaces the existing Sewers for Adoption manual. This represents a significant change to practice which will affect the adoption of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and below ground drainage systems.

Polypipe has a product portfolio of below ground drainage pipes for commercial and residential projects. The pipes are available in diameters from 110mm up to 3,000mm and make installation faster due to the flexibility, strength and easy handling properties.

Our Below Ground Product Manager Richard Eddy states:

“Former regulations allowed water companies to vary requirement, but the updated guidance ensures that all products are evaluated by the same standards across England. This means that there are now regions in England where housebuilders can now choose from a greater range of products and systems when specifying below ground drainage on new housing estates.

 

“With the widest range of plastic sewer pipes, fittings and chambers for below ground drainage available in the UK, with BBA approval and holding BSI Kitemarks, Polypipe is best placed to offer merchants advice on how the new standardised regulations will increase the ranges of systems they can supply to groundworkers, house builders and contractors, with our below ground drainage technical experts available to offer advice.”