Door Industry Journal - Winter 2015

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk industry news NRG AUTOMATION APPOINT NEW SALES MANAGER NRG Automation the UK’s largest supplier of radio controls and tubular motors to the roller garage door market have just announced the appointment of Glen Rees as Southern Sales Manager. NRG Automation is the exclusive UK distributor for elero GmbH, Teleco SPA, and KingGates to the UK automation market. At the start of the year NRG Automation launched their new Blackedition 800Nm Garage Door Operator and has seen sales soar across the country. Due to the success of this product and their continued growth as a company, Glen has joined to complement the existing team and to ensure that NRG Automation can keep up the excellent level of service that their customers have come to expect. Glen joins with a wealth of experience within the Garage Door Industry having worked for over 30 years for a number of the UK’s leading garage door manufacturers. Glen told us: “I am delighted to be part of the progressive team at NRG Automation and excited about making contact with many old and new friends within our industry”. Glen will be looking after the southern area of the country and will be on hand to discuss their huge range of products and other ways NRG Automation can provide solutions for your automation needs. To contact Glen call; 07896 434183 or by email: glenr@nrgautomation.co.uk . FRESH DEMANDS FOR LOCKSMITHING SKILLS AS CUSTOMERS TURN THEIR BACKS ON DIY THE ancient profession of locksmithing is hoping to encourage more young people into the industry after experiencing renewed demand for security skills. The Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) – the UK’s leading trade body for the locksmithing profession - believes the changing culture from do-it-yourself to do-it- for-me is increasing awareness of the need to use properly trained and qualified locksmiths. Householders and businesses are now more likely to ask fully trained professionals to assess and install security measures than do it themselves and risk botching the job or invalidating their insurance. The MLA has joined forces with ASSA ABLOY, the world’s biggest supplier of locks and security solutions, and Skills for Security – the skills body for the security industry – to support an apprenticeship scheme, with the aim of securing the future of the industry and ensuring locksmithing is seen as a potential career. Dr Steffan George, development director of the MLA, said: “We are trying to encourage people to see locksmithing as a career, rather than a get-rich-quick scheme, especially as there is a need for skills with the move from people doing it themselves to wanting tradesmen to do it for them. “This emphasises the need for good quality locksmiths, while existing locksmiths can help to grow their company by taking on new recruits and putting them on the apprenticeship scheme. “Consumers are more willing to engage the services of qualified locksmiths in order to implement security measures and that is something we encourage because of the nature of security as fitting the wrong products can not only compromise safety and security but also invalidate insurance. “There could well be more money in the economy and people are more willing now to slacken the purse strings and ask a professional rather than do it themselves as they realise the importance of security.” The locksmithing apprenticeship was set up in January 2014 with a view to generating the first nationally recognised qualification for the locksmith sector. It is an open apprenticeship, meaning that the new locksmiths undertaking the apprenticeship, which lasts a minimum of 12 months, can be working for any locksmith employer, whether they are members of the MLA or use ASSA ABLOY products or not. It’s a scheme generated by the industry, for the industry as a whole. For further information please visit www.locksmiths.co.uk or www.assaabloy.co.uk 19 THE door industry journal winter 2015 © Nomad Soul / Dollar Photo Club