Today approximately 180 billion aluminium cans are made every year but do you know how long aluminium has been around? Discovery of aluminium One of the newest metals to be discovered, aluminium (13th element in the periodic table) does not occur naturally in its purest form, and it wasn’t until new developments in chemistry and the arrival of electricity during the 19th century that aluminium was discovered. However, the compound alum has been known since the 5th century BC and was used extensively throughout Europe from XVI century. During the Middle Ages, its use for dyeing made it a commodity [...]

The Grenfell tragedy exposed that, in some parts of our sector, attitudes to fire safety were far too lax for far too long. In the four years that followed, fire regulations rightly came under forensic attention right across construction and the built environment – and now, products that go into high-rise buildings must meet stringent standards. An independent commission, headed by former Health and Safety Executive Chair Dame Judith Hackitt, conducted a comprehensive investigation with the aim of identifying areas where regulations could be improved. The result was a lengthy list of recommendations, which the government accepted, and enshrined [...]

Like fences, decking is one of those products that people immediately associate with timber. But increasingly, decking is being made from a variety of more modern high-performance materials – including aluminium. Decking’s come a long way since its first big resurgence. Back in the ‘90s, thanks in no small part to Alan Titchmarsh, Tommy Walsh, Charlie Dimmock and Ground Force, the most successful garden makeover show of the decade, its popularity boomed. In 1997, the year the show began, B&Q’s decking sales were tiny – just £5,000. By 2001, that figure had ballooned to £16m. One of the most appealing attributes [...]

Quality non-combustible aluminium decking tested to EN13501, EN 12823 and EN ISO 1716, Synergised decking system achieves A1 and A2fl-s1 ratings. Designed for the UK market, Synergised decking is made from structural-grade 6063 T6 aluminium, and finished with a 100 micron Qualicoat premium non-slip powder coating, making it ideal for high rise balconies, roof terraces, walkways and all other general decking applications. What’s more, it’s extremely quick and easy to install. Thanks to its innovative subframe and adjustable aluminium cradle base, it can be fitted with up to a 50% cost saving compared to other aluminium decking systems on the [...]