JELD-WEN AND HOWDENS DOOR WINS NATIONAL AWARD
Howdens Joinery (“Howdens”), the UK’s leading supplier of kitchens and joinery products, today announced that its Burford door range, produced in collaboration with JELD-WEN, was awarded the John Hedgecock Memorial Award by the British Woodworking Federation. The award is given annually to individuals, companies, projects or products which demonstrate exceptional technical excellence, achievement or innovation in joinery manufacture. This year’s ceremony was held at the Waldorf Hotel, London, on the 18th of November 2011.
Rob Fenwick, Chief Operating Officer of Howdens’ Supply Division, commented: “We believe that the Burford door represents one of the most significant changes and achievements in the joinery industry for 30 years. I am delighted that the efforts of all those involved from Howdens and JELD-WEN have been recognised by this prestigious award.”
The Shaker-style Burford range was launched earlier this year and includes both four and six panel designs in a variety of sizes with additional glazed door and fire door options. The door design is suitable for a range of homes as an individual door design or to complement the Howdens range of Burford kitchens. Since the launch, many tens of thousands of new door sales and extra kitchen sales have helped affirm Howdens’ market-leading position.
Continuing, Rob Fenwick said: “When we started this project, our aim was to create a commercially viable door which was made to the highest standards of quality and design but within an affordable price range. After a number of concept designs and prototypes, our joint Howdens-JELD-WEN team had created an authentic representative of a true timber stile and rail door, which was not only robust, but could also be produced in a cost-effective way.”
Collecting the award on behalf the design team were Harry Sample, Product Development manager at Howdens Joinery, Ian Purkis, Technical Director of JELD-WEN, and Trevor Cossins, Assistant General Manager at JELD-WEN Penrith.
Ian Purkis said: "It is fantastic for Howden and JELD-WEN to receive this recognition for what was a true test of international collaboration and innovation in design and advanced timber manufacturing technology.
"Unlike all previous moulded doors, which are essentially flush with moulded details, the Burford is more authentic and representative of true timber stile and rail doors, with sub-flush panels. The Burford moulding required the skin to be manufactured to a significantly higher level of accuracy, and in a format which could be produced in very large numbers at low cost. It has been a real technical adventure. This award recognises the huge amount of hard work put in by the teams at JELD-WEN and Howdens Joinery."
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