Partner and employee information of the

Roto window and door technology division

No. 17
April
2011

Complete and

Outward Opening

Roto in France:

EUROCOLOR:

Durable: Roto hard-

Idealcombi: With

individual: Roto at

espagnolettes:

Full steam ahead

Growth through

ware in Tehrans

the futuristic

BAU 2011

The secure way to

innovation

main train station

window to the

greater comfort
Page 2

Page 4

future of windows
Page 5

Page 8

Page 9

Page 10

Exclusive living or work space

Roto DoorSafe Tandeo F

The Fincube

Comfort lock with

panic function
Following the approval of the
Roto multi-point locking system
DoorSafe TandeoF as a hardware system for single-leaf escape or emergency exit doors
in accordance with DIN EN 179,
building owners and users will
in future also be able to profit
from the convenience of a keyless lock in sensitive escape areas and escape routes.
Photo: Steffen Jnicke

Photo: Meraner Hannes

Thanks to the use of natural materials, the Fincube fits perfectly into the rural

The basic structure of the Fincube is also suitable for use as an office or con-

alpine landscape, for example. Measuring 47 square metres, this self-contained,

ference room that may be needed for a certain period. It also functions equally

complete unit provides individually useable, top-class living or office space with

well as an exhibition room, reception office or for product presentations. Each

a 360 glass facade. The prototype of this exclusive living and office cube is now

cube can be set up as an independent unit next to an existing office building or

on the Ritten above Bolzano.

on a company site.

Buildings to last forever? Today,

there are many reasons and motives for occupying a plot of
land with a building only for a
certain period of time. For example, major events like the
Olympic Games or World Championships create a temporarily
high demand for living space,
but unfortunately the end result
is often just expensive derelict
housing that quickly loses its
shine once the event is over.
Josef Innerhofer, an entrepreneur from South Tyrol, recognised the potential of the Loftcube living concept that was
developed by the German designer Werner Aisslinger in
2003. The idea behind this is exclusive residential modules that
can be both built and dismantled quickly. And its an idea
that using plenty of timber
Josef Innerhofer turned into reality for the rural alpine region.
When Josef Innerhofer got to know
the designer Werner Aisslinger,
he was immediately enthusiastic
about his project: It involves constructing a simple yet practical living cube, siting it on some free
ground, connecting up the electricity supply, water supply and sew-

age pipes and lo and behold you

have a homely oasis all ready to
use. When the living cube is no
longer needed, it can be completely
dismantled and then erected again
somewhere else. In the words of
Josef Innerhofer, its a project
with enormous potential for rural
areas that shouldnt be concreted
over and permanently built on. If
families, hotels or companies need
more space for maybe just a few
years, this can be created quickly
with the Fincube that can then be
dismantled just as quickly later.
Fincube is the name given by Innerhofer to the attractive living
cube thats now available and being sold. Measuring 47 square metres, this self-contained, complete
unit provides individually useable,
top-class living or office space with
a 360 glass facade. And theres
been no skimping and saving here.
The craftsmanship and the technical design of the windows and
glass pane sliding elements, for
which the company Wolf Artec
GmbH of Natz-Schabs near Bolzano was responsible, are perfect.
For instance, the smooth running of
the large sliding doors in the glass
facade is thanks to Roto Patio Life
hardware, which the sister com-

pany Wolf Fenster AG has already

used in many buildings. Managing
Director Helmut Wolf explains why:
In window-making, you dont just
see the high quality of the materials, you can feel it too. Thats why
the smooth functioning of our windows and terrace doors is so important to us.
Building and living in harmony
with nature
The combination of a sustainable
building style, authentic living in
harmony with nature and an architectural concept that blends in
with the landscape are key to the
projects acceptance in rural areas.
Thanks to the use of natural materials, the Fincube fits perfectly into
the rural alpine landscape, for example. The prototype of this exclusive living and office cube is now
on the Ritten above Bolzano, and
can be viewed by appointment.
Pure flexibility
The interior of the Fincube is flexible: Modular wall and function
panels, both sides of which can be
used, allow the interior to be divided up to suit your individual needs.
If the Fincube is used as living
space, the function panels are located in the centre of the room and

the four areas (living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom) each
open to the outside.
However, the basic structure of the
Fincube is also suitable for use as
an office or conference room that
may be needed for a certain period.
It also functions equally well as an
exhibition room, reception office
or for product presentations. Each
cube can be set up as an independent unit next to an existing office building or on a company site.
It can even be located on the flat
roof of a company building. However, the Fincube is also perfectly
suited for use in tourism: As a complete living unit, it is the ideal solution for adding extra rooms and
quality to existing hotel complexes
if, for example, additional capacities
need to be provided for a sporting
event being held in the region.
Everything you need to know about
the Fincube and more pictures of
the building can be found on the Internet at www.fincube.eu

In addition to the door latch in the

main lock, the DoorSafe Tandeo F
system has two additional latches
at the bottom and at the top of the
door leaf that are fitted with integrated automatic bolts. As soon as
the door closes, the latches snap
into their strikers in the door frame
and at the same time activate the
bolts, which also move into the
strikers safeguarded against manipulation. This securely locks the
door at two points without the
key having to be turned. In accordance with the standard, the door
is opened from the inside by using
the handle in the normal way. This
decouples the two automatic bolts
and the main latch. The thoroughfare is always blocked from the outside, because the door is locked
again by the automatic bolts every
time it is closed. DoorSafe Tandeo
F is suitable for all commonly used
door materials.

In the hot seat

A discussion with the Board Chairman of Roto Frank AG,
Dr. Eckhard Keill
managers in over 40 countries, the
management principles that had
been put into writing for the first
time. The purpose of the survey
was to find out whether this had
been successful and also whether
the workforce confirms that the
managers were starting to take
these principles to heart and to follow them.

Roto Inside: Theres been a

large-scale employee survey
conducted throughout the entire Roto Group what was it
about?
Dr. Keill: It was about whether we
have achieved the target that we
defined at the end of 2009. Within
the shortest possible predefined
period, the plan was to pass on to
the workforce, via the Roto Group

Roto Inside: Do you lack trust in

your managers?
Dr. Keill: Not at all. Quite the opposite. The intention was to examine
whether the chain of communication can work in the way we had
hoped. And indeed it does. 97 per
cent of those surveyed said that
they know the management principles and 72 per cent feel that they
are also being increasingly implemented. We werent looking to
scrutinise the quality of our managers. We were more concerned with
the process that weve started in
this form for the first time in order
to carry the information about an

important topic trough the organisation. And we wanted to provide

the management team and ourselves with some feedback about
whats been successful and what
still needs to be improved.
Roto Inside: What was so special about this information
process?
Dr. Keill: The ambitious timetable,
complex content and very detailed
process planning. What is a matter
of course in many companies today
namely that minute details are recorded, such as the time between
when the order is received and
when the product is delivered is
still completely unusual with regard
to information. At Roto too, this is
still in its infancy. But that should
now change quickly.
Roto Inside: Why the ambition?
Dr. Keill: A company that makes
good products has good prospects
for the future. And a company that
uses these products and first-class

service to solve its customers

problems has even better prospects. And a company that deals in
a professional way with the equally
relevant production factor of information has the best prospects of
all. Im convinced of that.

be happy here to provide repeated

insights into the ongoing project.
Roto Inside: Well take you at
your word. Many thanks for todays talk.

Roto Inside: Long live the daily

circular to everyone?
Dr. Keill: Incorrect. Long live the
perfect communications mix depending on the type of subject,
backed up by optimised flows
of information and a modern
infrastructure.
Roto Inside: Would you like to
reveal more?
Dr. Keill: Not today. But the Roto
board will this year be vigorously
pursuing the process started so
successfully last year aimed at
making internal communication
professional. And another reason
for this is because our customers
profit from perfect internal communication. And if its of interest, Id

A new tool to assist our customer advisory service

Complete and individual

RotoSwing Microsite now online

Roto at BAU 2011 in Munich

The Roto trade fair team welcomed BAU 2011 visitors to the

Trade experts take a close look: In many of the hardware

companys approximately 200 square metres of stand area,

solutions presented, the ingeniousness lies in the detail. Yet

providing information about the AluVision range and the

it didnt go unnoticed.

Roto Groups efficiency in individual project planning and

realisation.

Window technology in its most

attractive form thats what
the new RotoSwing range of
handles from the NT modular
system represents. This allows
design-minded building owners
to choose from a whole variety
of design variants. And to make
the decision easier, Roto has
now opened a special Microsite
on the Internet that offers valuable support in the consultation
discussion.
Anyone whos put together their
dream car with a car manufacturer
on the Internet knows the dilemma:
Numerous equipment variants and
an almost unlimited number of accessories may be every car lovers
dream, but can quickly lead to confusion. Thats where a configurator comes in, guiding the customer clearly and in a targeted way
through the various options available. This is a useful instrument
that Roto also uses for its new Ro-

toSwing Microsite, because variety

in version and design is also characteristic of the latest member of
the NT modular system: With just
a few clicks, visitors to the Microsite www.rotoswing.de can use a
configurator on the left edge of the
screen to choose from the different
shape variations and colours and
from a variety of locking technologies. The result that then appears
is a very personalised RotoSwing
for local windows. Of course, the
Microsite also contains all the other
information concerning all aspects
of the current RotoSwing range of
handles, which is continually being
expanded by the addition of new
versions and applications.

A new landmark had already

been set at BAU 2009: That
year, despite the economic crisis, the trade fair company still
recorded a clear record number of visitors (around 212,000)
to consolidate its status as a
leading international trade fair
of the construction industry.
This record has now been broken by BAU 2011: 238,000 visitors, including almost 60,000
from abroad, and 2,058 exhibitors from 46 countries made
for some colourful (and informative) hustle and bustle in the
trade fair halls. Many trade visitors also showed an interest in
Roto and its attractive presentation of the AluVision range,
together with plenty of special
solutions for modern window
construction.
In Hall C1, the team headed by
Rotos AluVision Sales Manager

Uwe Jakob presented an approximately 200 square metre display

of the enormous spectrum of possibilities that the range offers. Uwe
Jakob was happy to announce that
theyre all here in Munich the T
S O ranges, explaining that T
stands for our Tilt&Turn products
that are installed in Turn-Only sashes and Tilt&Turn variants. S is for
Slide solutions in sliding elements,
Tilt&Slide and Fold&Slide solutions,
and O stands for Outward Opening systems that complete outward-opening Side-Hung and TopHung windows. The concealed
window drive E-Tec Drive and the
new Roto DoorSafe Generation 600
were also a focus of the trade fair
presentation.
No project without a solution to
match!
In the words of Uwe Jakob, the
aim of the trade fair presence is to
promote Roto as a complete alu-

minium supplier for all conceivable

types of window and door openings. Thats why the stand team in
Munich depended not just on exhibits but above all on communication: We gave visitors practical information and showed them special
projects along with the hardware
solutions that our customers have
used to secure the order for these
projects. Our aim is no project
without a Roto hardware solution to
match! And in Munich, we consolidated this claim very successfully,
is Uwe Jakobs satisfied summingup of the trade fair.

Inside
WERTBAU GmbH & Co. KG

288,191,280 good reasons

Over 20 years ago on 1st August 1990, Rainer Taig founded
WERTBAU-Elemente GmbH
today one of Germanys most
well-known window and door
manufacturers. As the providers of a complete product range
for construction elements, the
company now supplies over 870
partners in Germany, Belgium
and Austria. 243 employees
work at the companys headquarters in the Thuringian town
of Langenwetzendorf, making sure that the customers
expectations are met or even
exceeded.
At the beginning of August 2010,
Rainer Taig, his sons Carsten and
Stefan and the WERTBAU workforce celebrated their success together: In just two decades, they
have succeeded in becoming an
in-demand manufacturer of windows, doors, roller shutters, glass
facades, conservatories and also
fire and smoke protection elements. For this, the team around
the two Directors Rainer and
Carsten Taig focuses first and foremost on versatility and quality. The
WERTBAU-Wunschfenster (the
WERTBAU wish window) has
that name because it leaves hardly
any wish unfulfilled: Profiles made
of timber, timber/aluminium, PVC,
PVC/aluminium and aluminium can
be combined on a modular basis in
the design of many different series,
in countless colours and with all
types of modern glass. This means
that homeowners can choose their
wish window from an incredible
288,191,280 possible versions.
A proven partner concept
In our product world, variety and
individuality are certainly important
aspects of customer targeting. But
values such as quality, reliability
and trust are at least equally important, explains Carsten Taig in reference to the WERTBAU partner concept. Distribution in our industry
is developing into a very multi-level
structure. In this, we want to be
a particularly reliable and competent partner for what are normally
regional suppliers of windows and
doors. A partner that assumes responsibility for production, product
development and product support
within the framework of shared
collaboration. Success in nine
steps thats what we promise our
partners.
In the junior boss view, the companys partners first of all profit
from the WERTBAU full range. Unlike many of our competitors, we
also make special versions such
as round and curved elements,
Lift&Slide doors, Fold&Slide doors
and pivot windows ourselves. Secondly from efficient logistics, thirdly from our great production capacity that can also handle production
peaks flexibly, fourthly from a wellpracticed sales organisation both
in-house and in the field, fifthly
from the great wealth of experience
of our WERTBAU developers, sixthly from the exclusiveness of custom
products, seventhly from closely
meshed quality control, eighthly

Photo: Wertbau GmbH & Co. KG

In 2010, the WERTBAU workforce celebrated the companys 20 th anniversary

In 2011, WERTBAU had a presence at the BAU trade fair in Munich for the first
time in the its history.

WERTBAU presents itself at BAU

Represented at the BAU trade fair in

the WERTBAU brand more well-known

is especially happy about the good and

between the two companies that has

Munich for the first time, WERTBAU

to the decision-makers in the residential

intensive collaboration between Roto

existed for almost 20 years. Already

used this international building fair to

housing companies, in planning offices

and WERTBAU. Whether were talk-

were looking ahead to the 25th an-

present its partner concept and the

and architecture firms, and establish

ing about Roto NT with a visible or com-

niversary of WERTBAU. And I very

newly developed WERTBAU Efficien-

ourselves as both an innovative and a re-

pletely concealed hinge side, our range

much look forward to the other work

cy Window a window with a com-

liable system manufacturer. Of course,

of handles, parallel Tilt&Slide hardware,

and challenges to be tackled together

pletely concealed hinge side and de-

our trade and craft partners will also

Fold&Slide hardware or Fentro shutter

with the dedicated WERTBAU team.

sign frame parts that were developed

profit from this.

hardware many of our solutions have

Together well succeed in stimulating

entered the WERTBAU product world,

growth still further.gelingen, weitere

Wachstumsimpulse zu setzen.

in collaboration with Roto. This presence here at BAU is very important to

Roto Key Account Manager Meinhard

in some cases with the active support

us, said Carsten Taig when talking to

Poppe, who was using BAU in Munich

of our engineering team. In my opinion,

the editorial team at the WERTBAU

as an opportunity to visit his WERTBAU

our common success is based on the

stand. Because we also want to make

partners at their new trade fair stand,

trusting and imaginative collaboration

Variety and individuality characterise

The Directors Rainer (left) and Carsten

... a completely concealed hinge side and design frame parts. This new window

the WERTBAU product world.

Taig in front of the most important ex-

system meets stringent demands in terms of sustainability, energy-efficiency

hibit on the BAU trade fair stand the

and installation efficiency, design, function and comfort.

WERTBAU Efficiency Window with ...

from the WERTBAU companys

practiced sustainability policy, and
ninthly from their suppliers marketing services.

promote end-customer targeting

without neglecting local differences and special characteristics, is
Carsten Taigs assessment.

More light for living

WERTBAU has just started a new
marketing campaign. The intention is for the companys partners carpenters, joiners, glaziers
and building element dealers to
profit from it. More light for living thats the main slogan of the
campaign that gets to the crux of
emotional end-customer targeting.
This slogan represents a position
that stands for a new quality of life
in which both ecological and economic sense and responsibility find
equal expression alongside the joy
of living. Together with our regional
partners, our intention is to employ
various marketing measures concerning all aspects of this slogan to

The new marketing concept was

unveiled for the first time at the regional partner days that the company organises all over Germany at
regular intervals. For a few months
now, WERTBAU partners have
been able to refer to suitably designed brochures or request what
is called the WERTBAU Mobile.
This brings a complete miniature
trade fair stand to the venue, allowing building owners and modernisers to obtain good and detailed
information about new window systems during an open day. Together we must make greater efforts to
market windows from the inside
out, so to speak, is Carsten Taigs
description of the task of modern

market cultivation. Because if by

providing competent, benefit-orientated advice we enable the window
to become a lifestyle item for the
building owner that combines quality, security and comfort, then we
can expect an appropriate reward.
And for WERTBAU, this years BAU
trade fair in Munich was also dominated completely by the realignment. With the emotionalisation of
the windows and doors subject,
Carsten Taig believes that the company is on the right track for the
years ahead: The windows industry is still in the middle of a period
of change. Supply capacities still
in some cases greatly exceed demand. This means that increases in
sales and additional market shares
normally have to come at the expense of the competition. But we
have every confidence that we can

do just that. Firstly if we succeed

in pushing ahead with the aforementioned emotionalisation, and
secondly if we are successful in
bringing our partners into discussions with the important decisionmakers. Because for example the
awareness of both end customers
and politicians with regard to energy saving will increase still further.
This is having consequences for the
large residential housing companies. Just the demand dormant in
existing buildings will keep all of us
occupied for years yet.

New Outward Opening espagnolettes

Roto Frank of America

The secure way to greater comfort

Strategic realignment completed

n both Top-Hung and Side-Hung versions: In many countries, outward opening windows are the system of choice when it comes to
fitting a particularly space-saving and windproof solution. The new
Roto Outward Opening TSH espagnolettes now greatly increase
sealing performance, ease of use and security for outward opening
windows.

Photo: Minnkota Windows, Fargo, North Dakota/USA

Outward opening windows are easy to use, close extremely tightly and are rainproof, save space inside the room and let plenty of light into the interior of the
building.

With two newly developed TSH espagnolettes for outward opening

windows, Roto is the only manufacturer to offer a handle locking point
integrated in the espagnolette casing and the TurnPlus night ventilation function. Both the TSH 10 and
the TSH 20 espagnolette are suitable for use in all timber, PVC and
aluminium profiles with the 9.3 millimetre Euro-groove.
Secure or even more secure
The only ones having difficulty with
these new TSH locking systems will
be burglars: With up to three locking points, the TSH 10 espagnolette provides a solid level of basic
security combined with pleasantly
easy use. The TSH 20 espagnolette,
with its reverse-action mechanism
in a robust zinc diecast housing, offers additional security. With two
reverse-action connecting-rods and
up to six locking points, this espagnolette guarantees increased protection against possible jemmying.
It has been successfully certified in
accordance with British Standard
BS 7950.
Compared with the TSH 10 espagnolette, the TSH 20 also offers
a choice of three different espagnolette extensions: With a shootbolt for Top-Hung and Side-Hung
windows of all sizes, with a corner
drive for increased gasket compression (particularly for large
Top-Hung windows) and without
a corner drive for Top-Hung and
Side-Hung windows.

The three-piece TSH 20 espagnolette

consists of a central espagnolette
housing and two coupleable connecting-rods. Its reverse-action mechanism provides maximum protection

2009 and 2010 were years of

transition for Chris Dimou,
Roto market director North
America, and his team. Chris
Dimou is now able to report to
Roto Inside that the strategic
realignment towards becoming a market-focused and salesorientated player, on the North
American market, is showing
its first significant successes.
Without getting bogged down
in too much jargon: Over the past
year and a half, we have, among
other things, introduced a new
management system that allows
us to examine, on the basis of
KPIs, the extent to which we are
meeting our set targets. In addition,
weve defined and set goals that
we adhere to every day: Greater
market focus, greater visibility to
existing and potential customers
Mr. Dimou explains.

against jemmying: The upper connecting-rod is moved upward during closing and the lower connecting-rod is
moved downward at the same time. In
the process, the cams move into the
strikers with reverse-action.

A clear plus in enhanced

comfort
Besides maximum security, both
TSH espagnolettes offer pleasant
ease of use: The TurnPlus function
makes long searches for the optimum night ventilation position in
the striker and window sashes rattling in the wind things of the past.
Instead, comfortable night ventilation with a variable ventilation gap
is possible in two simple steps.
First: Move the handle into the 135
position. Second: Push the sash
outwards. When the end position
is reached, the cam automatically
engages in the TurnPlus arm and
the sash is fixed securely against
the wind. The integrated locking
points also provide additional comfort. Engagement points in the espagnolette keep the operating lever in the desired position. In this
way, Roto ensures with both TSH
espagnolettes that the lever cannot drop back into another position
uncontrolled.

Among other things, the stricter state requirements for energy-efficient building
that come into force from 2012 on will have a sustained impact on the residential
and renovation market.

Roto Frank of America President/CEO Chris Dimou is looking optimistically ahead

into the future: Leading institutes, associations and market researchers predict
market growth in new construction of around six per cent by 2014, which after

Within the framework of a transformation from a largely productorientated company into a marketand customer focused company,
the entire organization has embraced the sales cycle philosophy,
the closer cooperation with our
customers decision-makers and
customer-need inspired product
development. Presently, a large
sales force of direct and indirect
sales representatives, work together with the internal support organization of Roto Frank of America,
to support the customers on the
North American continent. Has it
been successful? In 2010, we were
pleased to gain a number of new
customers and additional market
share. Double-digit growth in a still
difficult market environment ... Yes,
our realignment has been a step
in the right direction for success
Chris Dimou concludes.
Cause for confidence
With regards to a difficult market in 2009, American window
manufacturers were still talking
about a market decline of up to 40
per cent. Chris Dimou reacts cautiously to the question of whether
the situation has improved again
somewhat in 2010. Last year, the
market developed heterogeneously
at a low level. The first quarter and

all would mean construction starting on 740,000 new dwelling units annually.

the last quarter were significantly

better than the second and third
quarters. This was mainly due to
the fact that at the end of 2010, a
tax incentive for homeowners investing in energy-efficient windows
came to an end. Many owners still
wanted to use the federal support
for renovation work.
Last years GlassBuild America in
Las Vegas for years an important
bellwether of trends in the market,
is one place where Chris Dimou
discovered that cautious optimism
is the current frame of mind, in the
North American window and door
industry. The mood has certainly
brightened. Leading institutes, associations and market researchers predict market growth in new
construction of around six per cent
by 2014. This would translate to
construction starting on 740,000
new dwelling units annually. Also,
the demand for high-quality and
energy-efficient windows will again
develop favourably in view of the
stricter state requirements that will
be enforced starting in 2012. Understandably, both consumers and
industry in North America has gone
through two very difficult years

and they are still a little hesitant to

get overly excited about the good
news.
Pedalling away powerfully
together
In any event, Roto is well placed
to embark on a period of market
growth. Our specialists form a
well-established team with our
customers decision-makers. This
allows us to react quickly to changing market conditions. The fact that
we can supply both North American and European products from
a single source should also have
a positive effect. That, coupled
with our superior services makes
us attractive to local window
manufacturers.

Inside
Roto in France

Full steam ahead

The Sales Director responsible
for France, Christian Bako, refers to what the team from
the Roto sales company there
has put into place in just a few
months in collaboration with
experts from many specialist departments in Leinfelden
as the top performance of a
top team. At the beginning of
2010, the starting gun was fired
for the collaboration between
six important production supply
dealers (PSDs) from all over the
country and Roto. Since then,
eighty window manufacturers
have followed in their dealers
footsteps and changed over
their production to Roto. An
excellent development, but by
no means the end of the road
says Christian Bako, who informed Roto Inside about the
current developments on the
French market.

Sales Director Christian Bako tells

Alain Bourge has been part of the Roto

Roto Inside that in France, about

team in France for three years. As Re-

twelve million windows are sold an-

gional Sales Manager (West), he is

nually. Whereas Tilt&Turn windows

pleased to see the rapid developments

are installed almost everywhere in the

in his sales area too.

world, 85 per cent of people in France

favour mostly double-sashed TurnOnly windows with an espagnolette

When Jordi Nadal, Regional Director for Southern Europe, dispatched

Christian Bako from Barcelona to
become Sales Director in France in
January 2010, it was quite clear to
him that it wouldnt be a walk in the
park: Yet even though the French
market was then and still is very
much dominated by one domestic hardware manufacturer, Christian Bako had every confidence in
his team and he couldnt have
wished for a more competent and
motivated team. Five sales staff,
one technician and three in-house
specialists were ready and waiting
in Saint-Avold to put the cat among
the pigeons on the French hardware market.
Of the markets strengths
In France, there are about five
hardware manufacturers active on
the market, says Christian Bako.
In southern France however, the
Number One holds a market share
of about 90 per cent, almost a monopoly. Across the country as a

and two locking points at the top and

bottom.

whole, its market share is 70 per

cent. Rotos first task was therefore to convince the hardware
trade about Roto quality. Like in
Germany, in France most window
manufacturers have been in a longterm business relationship with
their PSDs and are especially loyal
to them. They trust their judgement, and often regard themselves
not primarily as a customer of a
hardware manufacturer but as a
customer of this dealer. Christian
Bako therefore saw it as a historical
opportunity when six French trading companies selected by Roto all
made Roto their partner between
the end of 2009 and the start of
2010. Of course, that didnt just
happen overnight, says Christian
Bako. It was preceded by many
discussions in which all those involved stated their position before
finally arriving at common ground.

In collaboration with the dealers,

we then gradually forged an increasing number of contacts with
window manufacturers and have
since increased our market share in
France to around five per cent.
A lot is different in France
Christian Bako knows that the
Roto brand is not so well known
in southern France, but that in the
north and east of the country it is
associated in the positive sense
with typical German quality and
reliability. After all, Roto has been
active in France since 1977, he explains. But with very mixed success, because maybe we didnt
previously adapt sufficiently thoroughly to the special characteristics of the French market. In this
respect however, much has been
done to put things right over the
past few months.
Today, some twelve million windows are sold in France annually.
Around 65 per cent of these have
PVC profiles, 20 per cent have alu-

minium profiles and 15 per cent

have timber profiles. Two thirds of
all windows are used in renovations. The market is enormous, but
like everywhere its characterised
by a high level of individuality in
France also. He explains that there
are hardly any parallels between
window production in France and
window production in Germany,
for example. Whereas Tilt&Turn
windows are installed almost everywhere in the world, 85 per cent
of people in France favour mostly
double-sashed Turn-Only windows
with an espagnolette and two locking points at the top and bottom. At
least thats the case for the time being, and Roto has therefore had to
respond with the appropriate products. Nevertheless, we do of course
want to try and get French building
owners and window manufacturers
enthusiastic about other opening
methods and window types in the
medium term.
Innovative for France
At present, there is particularly
great interest in energy-efficient
Roto solutions that are also suitable
for the disabled. Christian Bako reports that in France, the standards
for barrier-free construction have
been made much stricter recently. For example, a window handle
must not be installed more than
1.30 metres above the floor. This
makes our Tilt&Turn windows with
comfort hardware ideal for the
French market. The special handle
is secured on the bottom of the
window sash, can also be reached
from a seated position and can be
moved without exertion.
Standing on their own two feet
Christian Bako is grateful for all the
support that he and his team have
received over the past year from
the companys headquarters in
Leinfelden. Together weve really
boosted sales, he says. Our task
now is to stand on our own two

France in numbers:
- O fficial name: French Republic (Rpublique Franaise)
- Area: 543,965 square kilometres (excluding overseas departments, which
cover 88,969 square kilometres)
- Population: 64.3 million
- Gross domestic product: 1,918.5
billion euros
- Capital city: Paris
- Form of government: Parliamentary
presidential democracy
- Official language: French
- National holiday: 14th July (anniversary
of the storming of the Bastille in 1789)

feet here, and to again achieve the

certainly realistic target of doublefigure growth.
He adds that a major topic this year
will be the French doors market. As
was the case a year ago with window production, in recent months
Roto has developed and produced
a number of hardware items especially for France. Why? Because in
France, a lot is simply different. In
many parts of Europe for example,
the distance between the handle
and the cylinder in the lock casing is the same at 92 millimetres. In
many parts of France however, it is
just 70 millimetres. But we simply
want to prove to window and door
manufacturers that we take them
and their wishes very seriously.
Thats why a real and convincing
France range is absolutely essential, Christian Bako emphasises
with vigour. And at this moment its
difficult to believe that more doors
wont soon be opened to him and
his team, even if the hardware on
them doesnt yet come from Roto.

NT and Door for France

Solutions la carte
Both the Roto NT hardware
range and the Roto Door solutions are characterised to an
equal degree by great diversity
and maximum flexibility. And
when this kind of flexibility is
needed, thats where the Roto
product developers in Kalsdorf
and Leinfelden come in. As Project Manager, Josef Zirkl oversees from the Austrian town of
Kalsdorf the development and
introduction of hardware innovations on the French market.
Among other things, weve added
to the NT range espagnolettes that
have been specially tailored to the
needs of the French market. For
example, weve developed espagnolettes with a backset of minus
six millimetres in order to allow a
centred handle height without routing or an intermediate gearbox on
double-sashed windows. Marketspecific lock variants for French
main entrance doors and balcony
doors, which are often used as side

entrance doors, have also been

developed in Kalsdorf from the
Door range. The incorporation of
our PowerLock automatic lock for
doors was a major aspect in this respect. As a matter of priority, weve
also been working with our colleagues in Leinfelden on developing lock solutions that can be interlinked in different ways so that well
be able to respond to the demands
of the various manufacturers. And
of course when doing so, weve
also had to bear in mind the particular demands of the manufacturing
techniques. In French window and
door production for example, completely different routing methods
are used to those employed in the
rest of the world.

One of the projects that Josef Zirkl

and his team have worked on is the
incorporation of the PowerLock
automatic lock into the French range.

The aim of all innovations and enhancements has been to support

the particularly efficient and convenient production of window elements by French manufacturers by
providing them with market-specific hardware. In doing so, weve also

had to pay attention to the great

differences between the requirements of the various manufacturers
in France. In addition there were
the adjustments in the supply chain
management, which today guarantees top delivery performance
for French Roto customers. All
development and organisation processes were developed within the
framework of a more than exemplary team performance by our colleagues from Leinfelden and Kalsdorf, concludes Josef Zirkl.

on other markets. Of course, where

regional peculiarities exist there are
also commonalities. And we can
cover some of these very well with
our French innovations.

Regional peculiarities, national

commonalities
Given that so much work has gone
into significantly extending the
Roto range, the question also has
to be asked as to whether some of
the developments for France will
shortly also be available on other
markets? Naturally, as early as
during the concept phase we examined the possible uses for all
applications and developments initially throughout France and then

Quincaillerie Angles

Menuiseries Combes

A strong partner for Roto in France

Tradition made to measure

With Roto, we have a reliable
partner on our side whos always happy to listen to us,
says Jean-Marc Combes, Managing Director of the joinery
and carpentry firm Combes in
the town of Millau in southern
France. This tradition-conscious
family company changed over
to Roto hardware just over a
year ago, which greatly boosted
its standing in the eyes of its
customers. Roto Inside visited
Menuiseries Combes and talked
to Jean-Marc Combes about the
success of his company, its collaboration with Roto and the
French windows market.

More than 12,000 joiners, and those working with PVC, aluminium,
steel and timber are among the professional customers of the renowned French company Angles, based in the town of Rodez in
France. Long-standing business relationships built on trust and personal proximity to the customer have enabled Angles to establish a
position as one of the most important dealers in southern France.

Company owner Guillaume Angles (in

photo on the right) and Sales Director Grard Valery surrounded by their
huge range: Quincaillerie Angles has
over 35,000 products in stock, from
screws to tools, hinges and doorknockers to furniture locks.

The history of Quincaillerie Angles

stretches back to the beginning of
the 20 th century. My great grandfather founded the company in 1907
as a dealer in building materials,
and brought it to full strength after
the Second World War, explains

workforce in Rodez, a town of over

24,000 inhabitants between Toulouse and Lyon, numbered 30 in
three branches. Today, 165 people
work for Angles and the number of
branches has risen to 17. Last year
alone we added four new ones,

When you enter the first of the

companys two production halls a
third is to be built this year your
gaze first of all falls on the colourful
collection of timber and PVC window frames, hardware sets ready
for use and production machines.
But it then wanders unavoidably
to a giant window installed in the
wall at the back of the hall, which
affords a view over the foothills of
the Grands Causses and the regional nature park. You just cant get
away from this landscape, explains
Managing Director Jean-Marc
Combes. Daylight streams into the
hall through this window to create
a pleasant atmosphere.

When work allows, Jean-Marc

Combes who took over Menuiseries
Combes from his father in 1987 enjoys travelling: I love discovery

the worlds longest cable-stayed

bridge, its highest pillar measuring
almost 250 metres from the valley
floor to the roadway. Jean-Marc
Combes, who has been with the
company since 1981 and became
Managing Director in 1987, is full
of admiration for this monumental
structure perhaps because it reflects the ability of companies to
master the greatest challenges.

Combes windows are sold south of the line running from Bordeaux to Lyon.

Today the company employs 165 peo-

More than 12,000 joiners, and those working with PVC, aluminium, steel and

ple and the number of branches has

timber are among the professional customers of the trading company Angles,

risen to 17, reports Sales Director G-

based in the town of Rodez in France.

rard Valery. All over southern France,

were close to our customers. We can
normally deliver to them within 24
hours.

Guillaume Angles, who has been

the owner and Managing Director
of this family company since 1995.
At that time, a heavy concentration
on heating and sanitation requirements was the main driving force
behind the companys success.
This was a branch of the company
that was continued successfully
for three generations, before being sold to the Saint Gobain Group
in 2002.
Near the customer, no matter
where
From that point on, we concentrated exclusively on the specialist building trade, adds Guillaume
Angles. Initially the companys

says Grard Valery, who has been

running the Sales team for many
years. We deliberately limit our
sales area to the south of the country. Here weve built up a good
sales network, which enables us to
be very close to our customers no
matter where theyre located. We
can normally deliver to them within
24 hours.
Winds of change in the windows trade
Quincaillerie Angles has over
35,000 different products in stock:
Everything from screws to tools,
hinges and door-knockers, to furniture locks and table legs. Hardware
accounts for over 20 per cent. For
about a year, this specialist building dealer has been relying on
Roto hardware technology. Guillaume Angles explains that up to

now, some 90 per cent of hardware

products sold via dealers in southern France have been the products
of one single domestic manufacturer. Now its time for the winds of
change to blow through this trade.

In 2000 the Combes workforce numbered 35, today it numbers 80.

In the south of France for 140

years
The home of Menuiseries Combes
is the town of Millau in southern
France, with a population of over
22,000 in the Midi-Pyrnes region
at the gateway to the Gorges du
Tarn. A technically and architecturally extremely remarkable bridge
carries the motorway A 75 over the
River Tarn at this location: the Millau Viaduct. At 2,460 metres, it is

The windows professional explains

that our company was founded in
1871 by my great-great-grandfather Jules. Back then, the way in
which he ran his company was already well ahead of its time: Slats
and table legs were made with the
help of a steam machine, which involved the first use of 4-sided machining. In 2000, it became necessary to relocate to suitably adapted
production premises for the pur-

Inside

one hundred industrial producers

of timber windows in France, the
same number of aluminium window producers and almost seven
hundred producers specialising in
PVC windows.
While the name Combes used to be
associated almost exclusively with
timber windows, the company has
now made a name for itself on the
PVC market. A crucial factor here
was the introduction of a new product range with 70-millimetre profiles. And the Roto product range
has made a superb contribution
towards achieving a high level of
quality that customers very much
welcome.
Good times for the renovation
market
The 54-year-old entrepreneur JeanMarc Combes says that Menuiseries Combes was unaffected
by the economic crisis of the past
couple of years, even though like
everyone else, we were very worried. He explains that although
sales fell by two per cent in 2009,
they quickly rose again by 4.5 per
cent in 2010. We serve almost exclusively the renovation market,
and of course in that respect we
benefit from the fact that in France,
energy-related measures attract a
reduced rate of VAT, and in some
cases interest-free bank credit. He
adds that sales fell by between 20
and 40 per cent in the new building
sector.

The foothills of the Grands Causses

are a stones throw from the southern
French town of Millau.

pose developing and constructing

PVC windows. That was why a new
plant was built a few kilometres out
of town.
Supplying windows to a third of
the country
Jean-Marc Combes recalls that in
the 1960s, our father specialised
in making timber windows that he
then sold throughout the region.
Then in 1970, he changed over to
supplying the then growing private
residential market with modular
solutions. Aluminium production
commenced in 1987, with PVC windows being added five years later.

Some 30,000 windows leave the prothese, 40 per cent are PVC, 40 per
per cent are aluminium.

with aluminium more popular near

the coast.

Some 30,000 custom-made windows leave the production halls in

Millau every year. Of these, 40 per
cent are PVC, 40 per cent are timber and the remaining 20 per cent
are aluminium. The preference is
for timber in the mountain regions,

Theres nothing that we cant

make a reality
The go-ahead entrepreneur regards
his companys main strength as
being its ability to fulfil orders to
the best possible quality. Theres
nothing that we cant make a reality. Thats why in southern France,

cent are timber and the remaining 20

In 2000, the 35-strong Menuiseries Combes workforce achieved

turnover of three million Euros. In
2010, the now 80-strong workforce
upped that figure to 11.5 million
Euros. Today, our windows are
sold south of the line running from
Bordeaux to Lyon, in other words
in about one third of the country,
says Jean-Marc Combes.

Menuiseries Combes in southern France a family company with a long tradition.

duction halls in Millau every year. Of

Menuiseries Combes is regarded

as a specialist for windows of all
shapes and sizes.
According to Jean-Marc Combes,
in view of the large number of window producers the technical aspect is not the all-decisive factor.
He regards a competitive price as
being equally important, pointing
out that in total, there are around

When work permits, Jean-Marc

Combes enjoys heading for faraway
destinations. I love discovering
new countries and cultures explains the father of two sons who
is married to a Madagascan. During his studies, work experience in
Ivory Coast awakened his insatiable
curiosity for foreign countries. Is his
enthusiasm for discovery the secret behind his business success?
Perhaps. Im an active person.
Daily monotony doesnt make me
happy.

I love my job

Valrie Canac Production Director at Combes

She is 32 years old and has
been Production Director at
Menuiseries Combes in the
southern French town of Millau
since 2007. Valrie Canac started there as a temporary worker
over six years ago. Today, the
mother of two is responsible
for the entire timber and PVC
production.
I love my job she says, and examines with a trained eye the timber delivery that has just arrived.
Frames, hardware and machines
this is where Valrie Canac, a
friendly and confident woman, is
the boss. This is where she calls
the shots every day as Production
Director.

In 2004, she was actually only supposed to stay for six months, but
that has now turned into six years.
I learned about all the production
sequences from the ground up, and
was gradually given more and more
responsibility, Valrie Canac recalls. Finally, in 2007, she became
Production Director for timber, and
recently also took over responsibility for PVC production.

Valrie Canac was appointed Production Director at Combes in 2007. She is happy about the good working atmosphere and the companys success.

good job. And thats the only thing

that matters.

She says that Combes is a great

company with a very good working atmosphere. She adds that she
experienced no acceptance problems from her male colleagues.
Initially there may have been the
occasional pointed remark, but my
colleagues quickly saw that I do a

EUROCOLOR Sp. z o.o.

Growth through innovation

One of Polands largest window manufacturers, the EUROCOLOR company, was founded
in 1996. The aim of the partners Grzegorz Gazda and Zbigniew Rutkowski was to produce
high-quality windows, doors
and roller shutters that would
be in demand throughout Europe. The path leading to this
goal covered many stages, and
cost the entrepreneurs around
16 million Euros, which over
the 15 years since the company
was founded, have been invested not just in the production
site but also in a modern sales
system.

tomers who require special proof

and certificates for their construction documents can call them up
from the EUROCOLOR document
database. Since 2008, the companys windows and doors from
its production centre in Pyskowice
have carried the CE seal.
Besides windows, entrance doors,
sliding doors, terrace doors and
outside roller shutters, the company also supplies window sills
and other accessories relating to
all aspects of doors and windows.
With these, we meet our trading
partners desire to be able to offer
building owners a complete range
and service from a single source so
that theyll stand out from the do-ityourself trade, for example.

in the way of rapid growth. We

know and far more importantly,
our customers know that we can
maintain our product and service
quality even if we grow more than
we have so far, or even faster.

The modern production halls of EUROCOLOR employ around 200 people who,
each year, produce an average of 200,000 PVC window units, 5,000 aluminium
units and also 3,000 main doors and 250 roller shutters.

Together with Zbigniew Rutkowski,

Commitment for the trade

According to Pawe Surwka, Marketing and Sales Director, the companys policy over the 15 years
since it was founded has always
been to focus fully on the needs of
window traders who present themselves as premium suppliers to Polish building owners. We support
them in two ways firstly by producing windows specifically for residential use, and secondly through
brand advertising on TV and via regional marketing measures.

Photos: EUROCOLOR

For example, EUROCOLOR is actively promoting the kitchen window Comfo with its micro-opening feature, anti-jemmy protection
and Patio Tilt&Slide hardware that
allows easy and convenient opening like with a sliding door. Or the
safe childrens room window Senso with Tilt-First hardware and the
Moderno design window with
concealed NT Designo hardware.

Grzegorz Gazda (in the picture) founded EUROCOLOR in 1996 in the Polish city of Pyskowice with the aim of
manufacturing high-quality windows,
doors and roller shutters for various
European markets.

Today, the production halls of EUROCOLOR employ around 200

people working on eight CNCcontrolled production lines who,
each year, produce an average of
200,000 PVC window units, 5,000
aluminium units and also 3,000
main doors and 250 roller shutters. In 2007, the managing partner
Grzegorz Gazda had a new logistics
centre and office building with exhibition area built. The 40 year-old
entrepreneur explains that the purpose of both is to support our trade
partners and craftsmen, as well as
to improve the consultation we provide here on site.

The strategy of the EUROCOLOR

management has always been
based on the idea of sustained
company development. And its
been successful. Since the company was founded, it has managed almost every year to increase
its turnover by ten per cent compared with the previous year. Pawe
Surwka is convinced that this has
also been possible in no small measure thanks to ongoing investments
in developing the workforce.
Utilising experience
Together with our colleagues,
weve systematically searched for
and gathered knowledge, learned
from the experiences of others
and taken advice from Roto for example, regarding new production
techniques and possibilities for
boosting efficiency. Pawe Surwka says that our great willingness
to implement change has made

Reliable and fast

The companys own vehicle pool
includes ten semi-trailers and vans.
They guarantee that the commissioned goods are delivered
promptly and as ordered. Thats
enabled us to gain a good reputation through short delivery times.
EUROCOLOR has been collaborating with renowned suppliers ever
since it was founded: The company
gets PVC profiles from Rehau and
Schco, while aluminium profiles
come from Ponzio and its entire
range of modern window hardware
is sourced at Roto.
Tested quality for Europe
Internal quality control across all areas of production is supplemented
by systematic testing at external
institutes. Our aim was always to
use all the quality inspections in Europe and thereby ensure that were
also able to claim on the international stage that were one of the
leaders in terms of quality. Cus-

Pawe Surwka, who has been responsible for Marketing and Sales at EUROCOLOR since 2003, is convinced that
You dont have to be and perhaps
cant be the best at everything you do.
But a clear lead over the competition
in terms of both product and service
is essential to constant and dynamic
development.

The difference is in the function

Today, like most European building owners, Polish home owners
and investors also expect windows
and doors to provide the best possible support for the buildings shell
in terms of energy efficiency and
soundproofing. And Pawe Surwka reports that with this in mind,
weve now completely adjusted
and changed over our production
with the help of our suppliers.
But I must also add that together
with Roto, we emphasise the durability of a window in terms of its
functions, and above all its specific
functionality with respect to residential use.

David upk, sales partner of EURO-

Ongoing investments have ensured

COLOR in the Czech Republic, ap-

that today, EUROCOLOR is one of Po-

preciates the service of his exclusive

lands leading manufacturers whose

supplier: We trade exclusively with

products are in demand in many Euro-

products manufactured in Pyskowice,

pean countries. Roto has been one of

because weve found that their high

the companys partners since it was

quality increases the success of our

founded.

customers.

EUROCOLOR both robust and

successful.
He adds that the windows range
is being systematically extended
with special designs and a great
variety of patterns. Today, were
showing the full range of window
and door designs in both PVC and
aluminium, and this is why the EUROCOLOR brand is also in demand
from architects. In Poland, the days
when everybody wanted mainly
white and, if possible, cheap standard windows ended about ten
years ago. Some window manufacturers adjusted to that change too
late.
Innovative in both function and
material
Pawe Surwka says that sales of
the recently introduced products,
such as the Brillant-Alu-Top system, a combination of PVC profiles with aluminium covers, the
Lift&Slide door system Brillant
HS or windows and doors from
the Geneo range that are approved for passive (low-E) houses,
have been increasing by an average
of seven to eight per cent annually since they were launched onto
the market. Weve developed all
these systems over the past four to
six years. In my view, this proves
that in the building elements sec-

tor, only those companies that are

active on the market with innovations and their own developments
will be able to experience long-term
growth. EUROCOLOR will continue investing in 2011 also: Some 4.5
million euros in an innovative technology for producing low-energy
windows.
Special products for renovation
Above all, demand from building
renovators itself demands great
flexibility in production. Many
property owners want to preserve
their charming old buildings and
not replace them with new ones,
explains Pawe Surwka. But at
the same time, the old buildings
should be just as energy-efficient
as a new planned building. And
thats feasible when the right architects, tradesmen and manufacturers work together. We supply topquality custom products for such
building projects in terms of both
size and design.
Grzegorz Gazda says that growth
is also the aim of EUROCOLOR in
the medium term: Weve made a
name for ourselves through combination of quality-orientated production, short delivery times and a
marketing service to suit the target
group in question. In doing so, our
method is such that nothing stands

An award for Geneo

The new Geneo series windows,
which won the award for best
building product at the BUDMA international trade fair in Pozna, is
based on an innovative 6-chamber
profile that boasts excellent static
and thermal insulation parameters
thanks to the use of the material
RAU-FIPRO with fibreglass. With
these profiles we can create large
windows that make an outstanding
contribution towards thermal insulation, explains Pawe Surwka.
In doing this, we solve the moral
conflict of many building owners
who want to allow in plenty of sunlight through large windows, but
also want to build energy-efficient
buildings. At the same time, the
excellent static effect of the new fibreglass material reduces the need
for additional steel reinforcements,
and thus also building costs.
Extending the companys lead
The fact that Marketing and Sales
Director Pawe Surwka has his
sights firmly set on his market is
clear from one of his guidelines:
You dont have to be and perhaps
cant be the best at everything you
do. But a clear lead over the competition in terms of both product
and service is essential to constant
and dynamic development. This is
why we will further strengthen our
commitment to the success of our
trade partners by providing broad
sales support.
60 per cent of EUROCOLOR resellers have been partners of the
company for more than ten years.
Around 85 per cent of those already have no other building element suppliers apart from us. And
our aim is for this quota of exclusive partners to increase still further. Thats what Pawe Surwka is
looking to achieve.

Inside
Durable

Roto hardware in Tehrans main train station

Tehrans main train station was
built fifty years ago on a 1.74
square kilometre plot approximately 1,117 metres above sea
level. Although coated several
times in the meantime, but still
verifiable based on old construction documentation, hardware from Leinfelden was installed in its iron and bronze
windows that have remained
unchanged up to the present
day.

In 2007, a new logistics centre and office building with exhibition area was built
in Pyskowice. EUROCOLORs managing partner Grzegorz Gazda explains that
the purpose of both is to support our partners in the trade and craftsmen, as
well as to improve the consultation we provide here on site.

Better planning with modern

software
Some 50 per cent of EUROCOLORs annual production are processed outside Poland. Computer
software that was developed for
trade partners and joineries for performing calculations relating to all
products is available in various languages including German, Czech
and Slovakian. On request, EUROCOLOR also supplies craft partners
with a special calculation program
for all joinery products. A program
to support door designers in creating and visualising entrance doors
is also available.
A clear division of work in Sales
Pawe Surwka points out that the
division of work between EUROCOLOR and its partners is clearly
defined: We supply exclusively
via wholesalers who display products. We support them with product samples, facades and rooftop
advertising, brochures, boards and
stand-up displays for the showroom. In addition, EUROCOLOR
sponsors all the advertising activities of its partners, invests itself in
brand advertising, and thereby
ensures that the resellers market position is strengthened. And
just as importantly, EUROCOLOR
as a loyal supplier supports its
sales partners by forwarding end
customer enquiries received at
its headquarters to the respective
trade partner in the region.
Full training for partners
Pawe Surwka reports that EUROCOLOR, together with Roto for
example, regularly invites wholesalers and joinery employees to training courses in Pyskowice: These
seminars are so successful that
in collaboration with Roto, weve
now set up the Roto Academy that
enables our partners new staff to
become further qualified very systematically and over a long period.
He adds that the aim is to enable
trade and craft partners to be the
first in their region to sell and install
the window and door innovations.
Thats another reason why we
have such rapid throughput with
our new product developments.
In tandem with consultation
A total of eight trade representatives look after EUROCOLOR cus-

Thanks to Roto hardware technology,

As contractually agreed at that

time, the window fabricator contacted the Iranian railway company
in 2010 to enquire whether the windows are still serviceable or whether replacement parts for example
from Roto were required, reports
Roto export manager Klaus Engesser. But there was no such need according to the users appraisal. All
hardware components still function
perfectly.
Over 50,000 people daily arrive
in and depart from Tehrans main
train station, from which the state
railway covers 60 routes. The triumphant success of the Iranian railway began in October 1927, as the
construction of the 1,394-kilometre
Trans-Iranian railway line from the
Caspian Sea in the northeast as far
as the Persian Gulf in the southwest
of Iran was commissioned. After 14
years of construction, the first section between Irans northwest via
Tehran in the southwest to the
Persian Gulf was completed. It was
possible to open it in the spring of
1939. The expansion of more of the
Iranian railway network only began

With a floor space of approximately 30,000 square metres, the Tehran railway station was equipped 50 years ago with a large waiting hall and five train
platforms

The Roto hardware that was installed

Although coated several times in the

50 years ago in Tehrans main train

meantime, but still verifiable based on

stations windows remain without any

old construction documentation, hard-

complaints

ware from Roto was installed

after the end of the Second World

War.

the windows of the EUROCOLOR Econo 70 line provide additional convenience, SUPER SPACER technology

Symbol of the vertical urban growth

and a good design for an attractive

The Tehran Tower

price. A night ventilation function, a

lifting mishandling device and a sash
lifter, plus at least two security lock-

The luxurious apartments in the Teh-

ing points on each sash, ensure great-

ran Tower sold at a price of approxi-

er burglary security and ease of use.

mately 7,000 euros per square metre

are equipped with every modern
and intelligent building comfort. All

tomers on location, five of them

outside Poland. If necessary, the
service they provide also includes
them visiting a customer with our
partners representative. Or providing consultation in response to
technical, financial and economic
questions, is how Pawe Surwka
describes their work. The office
staff from the technical department and from EUROCOLOR Sales
in Pyskowice also follows and supports this work. You could say that
weve learned this from our suppliers from Roto in particular. Only
a combination of good products
and comprehensive service make
a company attractive in the long
term.

aluminium windows are equipped

with Roto 540i/10 Tilt&Turn/Tilt-First
hardware.

Tehran, one of the largest and

most populated cities in the
Middle East, is growing not in
breadth but rather in height, as
building ground is scarce. Constructed four years ago, the
Tehran Tower became the first
landmark of this development.
It is the largest concrete building in the Middle East and with
its 180-metre height and 56
floors, currently the highest residential building in Iran.
The Tehran Tower was constructed by the International Construction Development Company, one
the most important building construction companies in the country. The luxurious apartments in

the towers approximately 220,000

square-metre floor space sold at
a price per square metre of approximately 7,000 euros are equipped
with every modern and intelligent
building comfort. The lifts transport residents to their apartments
at a velocity of three metres per
second. And the modern aluminium windows in the Tehran Tower
are equipped with Roto 540i/10
Tilt&Turn/Tilt-First hardware.

Photos: Hansueli Krapf unter cc-by-sa

According to the 2006 census, approximately 13.4 million people live in Tehrans metropolitan region. As a result,
the population density is 713 inhabitants per square kilometre.

Directly at the junction

Built at the junction of all of Tehrans important motorways, the
tower provides its residents with
perfect transport connections in all
of the citys directions. The shape
of the building, designed like a star
with six rays, provides for fantastically natural light in all rooms,
but also for earthquake-proof statics. The plot on which the Tehran
Tower and its entire infrastructure
was constructed is approximately
28,000 square metres. A childrens
playground, well-equipped swim-

ming pools and saunas as well as a

fitness club, an auditorium and miscellaneous service providers provide the residents with relaxation
and comfort. Sophisticated communication networks ensure perfect contact to both the outside and
business world.

Idealcombi A/S

Looking to the future of windows with the futuristic window

Roto Inside regularly devotes itself to the huge topic of innovation and presents window and
door companies that are strong
in development. The Danish fabricator Idealcombi granted the
editorial team a particularly detailed insight this Spring into
his ideas and product world.
Not only tomorrows technology
is whats thought about today
at the production location and
headquarters in Hurup; but also
further developing their market success with very specific
investments at an impressive
speed.

Futura+ combines timber, aluminium and a polyurethane core in

a unique way. The result is a maximum thermally insulated window
with extremely slimline profiles.

I can see for miles the new production hall for the Futura+ production
line at the Idealcombi headquarters in

Those travelling by car to Hurup in

Jutland can first and foremost enjoy lots of Denmarks landscape.
Soft hill chains, sweeping coastlines, pure nature. What cannot be
overseen in front of beautiful scenery is the Idealcombi state-of-theart production building with its unbelievable dimensions. It appears
that the production hall on the main
road goes on for miles. What remains to be discovered is that one
of the companys most innovative
top products originates from here.
Our future, says managing partner Bent Sgaard.
Constant growth, constant
change
The foundation stone for the Idealcombi company, today one of the
most innovative and largest window and door manufacturers in
Denmark, was laid Bent Sgaard in
1973. At that time the trained carpenter began with the production
of timber windows for the regional
residential construction sector. A
few months later his brother Henning joined him and together they
steered their course of expansion
and success: In the first few years
the young company was also active
in house building, but then concentrated increasingly on window
production. The workforce grew
from year to year today Idealcombi employs over 420 employees in production, sales, logistics
and administration. And not without reason: both the product range
and the turnover have also grown
every year since the business was
started.
The Danish financial newspaper
Brsen praised Idealcombi as a particularly rapidly growing company.
The Berlingske Nyhedsmagasin
magazine listed Idealcombi as one
of the Gold1000 leading Danish
companies. Bent Sgaard and his
team have earned awards like these
for leaps in growth every year. And
all of this with expert financial and
growth strategy. The company remains completely family-owned to
this day.
For years now Idealcombi has also
created growing turnover outside of
Denmark. Currently our turnover
is still based on approximately 70
percent Danish refurbishment and
new-build construction projects.
Whereby approximately 80 percent
of the windows and doors in this
country go into refurbishment projects reported Bent Sgaard. Our
export business however is clearly
driven by new-build construction

10

Hurup

Idealcombi proprietor and general

Aluminium, polyurethane, timber:

Research and development manager

manager Bent Sgaard began with the

With the development of Futura+

Per Mller Nielsen believes in the E-

production of timber windows in 1973

Idealcombi anticipates the next de-

reference: Moving away from pure U

cades legislation already today

value views towards an analysis of the

energy balance made up of heat es-

projects. In the meantime we deliver our window and door systems

to all over Scandinavia as well Great
Britain and Ireland. We produce
however purely job-oriented for
both the Danish as well as for export markets. We dont have a finished goods warehouse.
Growth in the UK
The full-blooded entrepreneur is
particularly happy about the English
market: Many markets, including
Denmark, have been declining over
the past two years. To say nothing
of crisis-ridden Ireland. The development in the UK is all the more
surprising for us. Against the trend

We produce Futura+ as a double

and triple-glazed version and with it
reach U-values from up to 0.69 W/
(m2K), explains Per Mller Nielsen,
research and development manager in Idealcombi. Whereby we
have distanced ourselves in the
meantime from the isolated observation and assessment only according to the U value. As things stand,
we will be in a position in the near
future to lower our windows Uvalues even further. A lot more important for Idealcombi today is the
so called E-Reference, according
to which the energy-related quality of a window is assessed in Denmark and in other countries too.

caping to the surroundings and energy

of the times, we had good doubledigit growth last year in England.

It was the best year there for us up
to now and the orders for the next
months show further increasing demand. This increase in demand is
not all surprising, as Bent Sgaard
and his development team have
done a lot to become renowned
manufacturers of particularly efficient window systems. In Hurup
they have invested heavily in the
future of windows and have maintained very direct contact with the
companys target groups. Particularly architects, housing development companies and large project

from the sun transmitted inside brings

us in the right direction.

developers value our quality and

ability to respond fast
A future with Futura+
An obvious sign of the uncompromising Idealcombi innovation orientation is the approximately 88,000
square metre production area in the
meantime in Hurup. Currently probably the most innovative window
in Europe is created in the recently
completed hall on the main road
that greets impressed visitors:

Good partners, development teams that work well togeth-

Per Mller Nielsen and his team also do a lot of develop-

er: for the new Futura+ window, Idealcombi broke new

ment work in systems engineering, in order to continuously

ground together with its new hardware partner Roto

improve manufacturing processes

E-Reference supersedes the

U-value view
There is a holistic approach behind it all. Instead of only viewing it
from a thermal transmission coefficient perspective, the E-Reference
looks at it within the framework of
the energy balance of heat escaping to the surroundings and energy
from the sun transmitted inside.
This approach is a lot more conclusive, particularly in northern countries where you really can use the
solar heat as a positive contribution, and therefore should try not
to block it out with large window
profiles.
This results in a clearly defined requirement for us window fabricators: Windows should let as much
light through as possible, summarises Per Mller Nielsen. The
profiles must be designed as slimline as possible, and at the same
time the heat loss must be kept
as low as possible. Our answer is
Futura+: A window made of highquality materials, with integrated
insulating core, no cold bridges and
a outside profile width of only 53
millimetres; suitable for all conceivable opening types.
When questioned about future energy saving regulations and their
requirements, Per Mller Nielsen
only shakes his head smiling: We
are not talking here about requirements that have been defined for
2012 or 2013. With Futura+ we
are preparing for the energy regulations in year 2020 and beyond

The core of the new production: beginning with the top

Idealcombi banks on state-of-the-art, fully automated pro-

modern profile production, the entire Futura+ production

duction systems not only for the Futura+ production

will be gradually completely automated

Energy efficient windows pave

the way
Bent Sgaard stays on the subject
and adds: Naturally the energyrelated quality of our windows also

Inside

plays a large role in our good performance; among other countries in

the UK. The government there pursues ambitious energy-saving goals
that should be achieved in private
as well as commercial buildings in
a very short time period. The real
estate properties have to be refurbished within tight deadlines (even
though they are expecting a large
refurbishment push as it is already)
in such a way that they will subsequently conserve more energy or
just be newly built. If this is not implemented, economic threatening
consequences will be the result, as
English proprietors and tenants will
be hit particularly hard by the severe increases in energy costs due
to the low Sterling exchange rate.
This dilemma boosts the demand
for energy efficient windows and
doors in mainland Britain.

Learning from each other

Roto also experienced the Futura+
development up close. One worked
together on the series-production
readiness in individual development
steps of the new window type
since the end of 2008. There is also
a great deal of Roto NT hardware
technology today in every Futura+. It quickly became clear to
us back in the preliminary planning
stage that we need a particularly
efficient hardware partner in order
to implement the Futura+ window
system. A partner whose systems
support fully automated production and is very flexible in customising components such as the newly
developed design handle. Systems
that can be accommodated fully
concealed in very slimline profiles.
Naturally ease of operation also
plays a large role, for example the

integrated operation of the nightvent function via the handle added

Per Mller Nielsen.
A second development project
started by both Idealcombi and

Roto together at the same time

was an outward opening sliding
door. This is an opening version
that is widespread in Scandinavia,
but could be very attractive in the
future for design-oriented builders
all over Europe adds Roto Western Europe Market Director Mike
Piqeur who is delighted with the
cooperation with Idealcombi. Its
great working with a team that is so
forward-looking. The jointly implemented projects up to now were
demanding for both sides. Countless, very productive discussions
were held and a lot of technical
tests were carried out. Some of this
was new ground for our developers; the result was that also our
learning curve pointed steeply upwards. An end to this cross-fertilisation doesnt seem to be in sight.
Mike Piqeur in any case is happy:

Im looking forward to the next

projects that have already taken a
very concrete shape.

The Princedale project

Victorian terraced house transformed into a passive (low-E) house

Only if we succeed in retro-fitting existing buildings worldwide so that less energy is required to heat or cool, will it be
possible to significantly reduce
CO2 emission and curb global
warming. Most climate experts
have no doubts about this. The
Princedale building project in
the London district Kensington
shows how such retrofitting
measures can work.

ity level in accordance with the passive (low-E) house requirements.

Its design has been approved in the
meantime by the London Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith
& Fulham districts, and approved
for use in listed areas. Also inspired
by historical models, Ryder Strategies has developed main and back
doors equipped with Roto DoorSafe pin-bolt locking points and
DoorLine door hinges.

The goal of the Princedale project

has been the refurbishment of a 170
year old Victorian terraced house
in such a way that it is capable of
meeting the strict German passive
(low-E) house standards for lowenergy houses. At the same time,
it also has to comply with the local
regulations for preserving heritage
buildings. The project was initiated
by Octavia Housing, a non-profit organisation for subsidised housing in
London.

900 heating cost savings

Early projections point to residents
future savings in the extensively refurbished house of over 900 heating costs per annum. An additional
factor is that residents now breathe
in best quality fresh air, thanks to
the air filtration integrated in the
ventilation system. There is no
doubt for the specialist Philip Proffit, that he can reduce the energy
consumption of nearly all existing
buildings from the national average 130 kilowatt-hours energy per
square metre, right down to a consumption level of only 15 kilowatthours per square metre by means
of professional refurbishment. The
expert is convinced In the medium
term, we shall reduce consumption
down to even 8.5 kilowatt-hours.

The construction project has been

managed by Green Tomato Energy,
a specialist for renewable energy
and energy-efficient building. The
architecture firm Paul Davis & Partners well known for its work in
urban conservation assisted with
the planning process. The actual
construction work was carried out
by Ryder Strategies, whose director Philip Proffit spent several years
working with experts in continental
Europe, where he became a specialist in energy efficient refurbishment of existing buildings.
Pre-heated/cooled fresh air
The three-storey building is
equipped with a ventilation system
that facilitates heat recovery and
operates with an air/heat exchanger. With this system, stale air is constantly replaced with filtered fresh
air that is sucked in from outside
and runs through a pipe network a
couple of metres under the cellar
floor. The system takes advantage
of the fact that the ground temperature at this depth is between 12
and 13 C all year round. In winter,

Photo: Octavia Housing

From the outside this window looks just like a traditional

In actual fact the top window pane is fixed glazing. In order

vertical sliding window. This impression is also underlined

to accommodate opening the window nonetheless for ex-

with a visible hand-operated pull handle and a locking de-

ample for cleaning the bottom sash is implemented as a

vice visible through the glass. However this is deceiving on

tilt-first, tilt & turn sash with concealed Roto NT hardware.

first glance ...

the pipe network ensures that the

air drawn in is heated by this natural ambience before it reaches the
house with minimum energy consumption; and in summer the air is
cooled.
The exterior walls of the building
are equipped with a high-performance insulation layer, existing
cold bridges have been removed
and the building shell has been
made air-tight. This is how a historical building has been transformed
into a passive (low-E) house, for
which hardly any heat energy is required, even in cold winter weather.
An entirely unexpected
Tilt&Turn sash
The windows play a key role in
maintaining the air-tight building
shell; on the one hand they reflect
the historical construction methods

and on the other hand they prevent

the loss of heat. To this end Ryder
Strategies have developed their
own tailor-made timber window together with Roto.
From the outside this window looks
just like a traditional London vertical sliding window. This impression
is also underlined by a visible handoperated pull handle and a locking
device visible through the glass.
From an aesthetic point of view, it
looks like one can actually slide the
window. But in actual fact the top
window pane is fixed glazing. In
order to enable opening of the window for example for cleaning
the bottom sash is constructed as a
tilt-first, tilt and turn with concealed
Roto NT hardware.
Philip Proffit regularly relies on
hardware technology from Roto:

The NT hardware give us the

chance to make every size of sash
and to design individual windows
suitable for the openings in a building. The adjustability in every locking point ensures that we can carry
out fine tuning if required in order
to achieve the maximum gasketcompression for air impermeability. Also the whole security aspect
plays a key role for town houses
from his point of view: The possibility of equipping an NT window
particularly on the ground floor
with additional security locking
points is something that our customers value.
Air-tight triple-glazing
Thanks to their Pilkington triple
glazing, along with a triple gasket
system the windows designed by
Ryder Strategies achieve a U-value
of 0.9 as well as an air impermeabil-

11

Inside
RIHA GesmbH

All-round security

Imprint
Photos: RIHA GesmbH

The company bears his name:

In 1993, Dipl.-Ing. Alfred Riha
founded RIHA GesmbH in Lower Austria. Working during the
early years as a manufacturer
of PVC windows and security
doors, the entrepreneur later
concentrated on the development of innovative security systems. A series of unique ideas
paved the way for the company
to become the market leader
in security doors as of course
did the expert realisation of
these ideas.

Publisher
Roto Frank AG
Wilhelm-Frank-Platz 1
70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen
Germany
Editorial board:
Monique Gnuschke, Udo Pauly,
Ralph Saile

ties such as fire protection or bullet

proofing, says Alfred Riha. This is
a combination thats not a matter
of course, because the demands
placed on doors in terms of fire
protection and security are often
very different, for example how the
glass is fitted and the installation
type.

Since 1993, Dipl.-Ing. Alfred Riha has

invested a lot of energy and good
ideas into building up the company to
become Austrias market leader.

According to Austrias criminal police advisory service, security is

paramount and thats why since
2004 its been recommending RIHA
security doors to protect against intruders in apartments and houses.
And for the busy entrepreneur Alfred Riha, thats testimony to his
companys development strength.
Security is precisely the area in
which resting on our development
laurels would mean taking a step
back. Thats why we make every effort to continually increase the level
of security provided by our door
systems and to combine them with
other important product proper-

Design variety preserved

Besides security, product variety in particular is also important
to Alfred Riha and his workforce
of 70. Take for example securing the entrance area in detached
houses. In my opinion, security and
the components necessary for it
must remain concealed there. And
so the greatest challenge for us is
to achieve design variety and thus
visual value in terms of both facades and neighbourhoods, even
when especially secure doors are
used. Design and security must
go hand in hand. Thats why the
scope of RIHAs product range is
also hardly surprising: Single-leaf
and double-leaf doors, fanlights
and glass inserts of all shapes and
sizes when it comes to design,
there are very few limits. And Roto
technology also lies concealed in
many of these doors. For example,
Roto DoorSafe Z500 hardware with
two or four hooks and Roto PowerLock automatic locks are installed
in security doors of burglary resistance grades BRG1 (WK1) and
BRG2 (WK2). We solved some

Security from Lower Austria: RIHA GesmbH develops innovative security door

Editorial staff
Commn Sense GmbH
Haverkamp 30
D-45289 Essen
Telephone: +49 201 89470-0
Telefax: +49 201 89470-22
roto.inside@commn-sense.de

systems at its Ebreichsdorf works.

design details in close collaboration with Roto. For example we developed special hanger elements
namely door leaves that can be
installed in existing steel frames.
These are used in our RIHA Classic
System and in the RIHA Brillant, for
example.

Security and variety in design must

not be mutually exclusive. And working on this principle, RIHA relies on a
broad product range.

Why therell always be a demand

for securitysein wird
Austria is by no means a cauldron of
crime. Yet throughout the country, as
is the case throughout Europe, the
number of burglaries in private homes
is on the increase. The official statistics for 2006 for example recorded just
over 22,000 break-ins, whereas just
under 29,000 cases were reported to
the authorities just two years later in
2008 with the trend remaining upward. This means that the market for
reliable security technology appears to
be secure for the future also.

Expansion beyond Austrias

borders
The companys sales figures illustrate how, in the eyes of building
owners, it has successfully combined security and design. Right
from the outset, RIHA has been
able to report double-digit growth
rates every year. 2009, which saw
some 5,200 door units sold, was
the companys most successful
business year to date since it was
founded. The boom of the previous year lasted until around March
2010, but from the summer onwards the entire market experienced a decline, and unfortunately
we didnt quite escape from that
unscathed. However, the market
has since stabilised again a great
deal, which allows us to look optimistically ahead into the business
year thats just getting underway.
Nevertheless, Alfred Riha sees the
potentials for further major expansion as lying primarily in markets
yet to be tapped and in further di-

Design and production

gantenhammer
Werbung & Design GmbH & Co. KG
Meerbuscher Strasse 64-78
D-40670 Meerbusch
Telephone: +49 2159 69616-0
Telefax: +49 2159 69616-18
information@gantenhammer.de
Printing house
Kohlhammer & Wallishauser GmbH
Brunnenstrasse 14
D-72379 Hechingen
Telephone: +49 7471 1802-0
Telefax: +49 7471 1802-60
info@ko-wa.de
Total circulation: 14,170 copies

versification of the RIHA product

range in the mechanical and electronic security sector. In eastern
Austria, our companys name recognition is already so high that it
would hardly be possible to achieve
further increases in sales through
intensified marketing activities, for
example. But from an entrepreneurs point of view, I have to say
that there really are worse reasons
to open up new markets.

Live Factory at BUDMA

Flood-resistant windows for a good cause

The devastating effects of the
serious flooding that large parts
of the country suffered in May
and June 2010 are still visible
today, particularly in the south
and south west of Poland. The
window manufacturer AdamS,
together with some renowned
industry companies, used this
years international building
trade fair BUDMA in Pozna to
produce, in a Live Factory set
up specially for the occasion,
flood-resistant windows for renovating buildings in the floodaffected areas.
Over the four days of the BUDMA
trade fair between 11th and 14th
January 2011, it was all systems
go in the Live Factory: On a fully
equipped production line, the window professionals from AdamS
manufactured PVC windows from
high-quality components under the
interested gaze of trade fair visitors from the industry. These were

produced at BUDMA thus meet the

requirements of the ift FE 07/1 Directive, which states that windows
and doors must be able to withstand a water level of at least half
a metre, with maximum permissible water ingress of 240 litres in
24 hours. Im very pleased that we
were able to make a contribution
towards better preparing buildings
in the flood-affected areas for future floods that hopefully wont
happen for a very long time.
At BUDMA, the company AdamS, working in collaboration with Roto and other industry partners, produced flood-resistant
windows for (among others) a school in Bogatynia in a Live Factory specially set up for the occasion.

all contributions from the manufacturers industry partners, given

that the windows made at BUDMA
were destined for a good cause.
One place earmarked to benefit
from the new flood-resistant windows was a school in the town of
Bogatynia, which last summer suffered serious damage.

For many trade fair visitors too,

the production of flood-resistant
windows was certainly something
unusual and interesting to observe, reports Mirosaw Bogdalski,
Sales Director at Roto Frank Okucia
Budowlane. The required absolute
water-tightness of such Tilt&Turn
windows most definitely represents

a technological challenge. And we

were able to provide our partners
from AdamS with support in the
shape of special NT hardware. The
solution used in this case is characterised by very small spaces between the locking points that we
were able to achieve with the aid of
special centre locks. The windows

12