September 2009: Cavalok's burning ambition
Cavalok Building Products is celebrating following excellent results in rigorous fire tests to BS EN 1363 standards on its cavity closers by Chiltern International Fire. 100mm -150mm cavity closers achieved greater than 60 minute integrity in a timber frame construction and over 90 minutes in masonry.
The tests were commissioned by Cavalok in response to the need for improved fire assessment of cavity closers and further tests are now being carried out on Cavalok’s new cavity closer ranges to achieve even higher fire ratings enabling customers to satisfy Part B of the building regulations.
“This comprehensive testing will enhance specifier confidence in the Cavalok range even further,” said Robert Cridford, Technical and Design Manager at Cavalok. “The testing recreates the ‘flashover’ point in a building fire, subjecting our products to an intense 1000°C furnace until the product fails. We found that our product outlasted the timber frame construction it was mounted in, a great result which ensures there are no doubts about Cavalok closers.”
Preparations for the next series of tests are taking place, which include a number of products within Cavalok’s new ranges. These will be available once the testing process is completed. Until then Cavalok's FireSok range helps customers meet the needs of Part B.
August 2009: Cavalok products now available in Eurocell Building Plastics
Trade Closer and FireSok are now available from a 95+ strong branch network bringing Cavalok's product range to your area, enabling local supply and making smaller quantities more cost-effective.
The Trade Closer is an easy to use, retro-fit cavity closer solution. Designed to suit cavities from 50-100mm the closer slots into the cavity after the wall has been been built and can be trimmed down to size. The Trade Closer is ideal for replacement window projects. More about the trade closer here...
The FireSok cavity barrier provides one hour of fire protection to cavities for both timber/steel frame and masonry construction. Available in 1.2m lengths for a range of common cavity sizes, more here...
Eurocell Building Plastics supplies an unrivalled selection of high-performance PVCu building plastics products to enhance and protect every property. EBP's branch network is nationwide from Inverness to Truro and supplies to local tradesman and national building firms.
July 2009: Cavalok won't wilt in the warmth
As building sites across the country swelter in 30ºC+ temparature Cavalok cavity closers can be used with the confidence that they will not bend in the heat. Our white, post-consumer PVCu material is resistant to the sun's intensity and unlike darker profiles will not warp or bend on hot days.
PVCu is a thermoplastic material, meaning that heat is used to shape the product during manufacture, but that doesn't mean it should ever bend in the sun -even on the hottest days of a British summer. Cavalok doesn't use dark gasket offcuts in our recycling process which react so dramatically to heat and Cavalok formers will not distort your brickwork openings.
More information on our 100% post-consumer recycling process can be found here...
June 2009: Open and shut case for Cavalok cavity
closers - Big Blok On-site
It was definitely an open and closed case for sustainability and energy efficiency when Cavalok’s cavity closer system helped The Aster Group create 55 new care homes at Passmore Edward Hospital in Liskeard, Cornwall.
Cavalok cavity closers were used by ROK on all 55 of the new-build care homes. SAP calculations indicate that the development will exceed Building Regulation thermal performance requirements by 20-30 per cent, using Cavalok’s Big Blok closer system, combined with other high specification components, helped the building achieve these results. Four-sided Cavalok cavity closers were used to create and close the openings on a variety of wall constructions ranging from 140mm to 175mm cavities with 90mm of insulation.
“We were delighted with Cavalok’s cavity closer because it proved a quicker, easier and more professional method of creating window openings,” commented Mike McCloud, Site Manager for ROK. “The cavity closers helped us create more thermally efficient window openings, which proved beneficial in the SAP calculations.”
Read more about this
140mm cavity closer project in our new case study section...
April 2009: Recovery
in the new-build residential market?
Cavalok is pleased to report a very successful March for sales. Total quantities of cavity closer supplied to our customers and distributors were excellent, suggesting that there may just be some positive news in the construction industry.
As market leaders and pioneers in new cavity closer frame systems Cavalok should be seen as good indicator of activity in the new-build construction market. After a troubled year in the industry we hope our figures do reflect wider trends and we can all start to look forward with enthusiasm again. As always, we support our customers by providing the sustainable cavity closing solutions needed to fulfil contracts at low costs and an efficient, 'right first time' approach which enhances cash-flow and profitability.
March 2009: Cavalok at Ecobuild
- Photos from Tuesday 3rd March
January 2009: We're going
to Ecobuild - 3-5 March 2009
For three days in March we'll be running a
stand at what is rapidly becoming the UK's best building show. On
display will be our full range of energy saving products uniquely
manufactured from 100% post-consumer waste plastic.
Our sales and technical teams will be on hand to guide you through the recycling process and the great products we manufacture. With our cavity closer system designed to accommodate the Code for Sustainable Homes and other critical changes in legislation Ecobuild will be the perfect showcase for our innovative range. Click here for your invitation - entry is free.
December 2008: Eurocell Acquires
Cavalok
Eurocell Profiles Ltd, the UK’s leading manufacturer
and distributor of quality PVC-u systems, has entered into an agreement
to acquire the assets and operations of Cavalok Building Products
Ltd.
Cavalok is the only manufacturer of BBA-accredited cavity closure systems made from 100% post-consumer recycled PVC-u. Contractors and specifiers will now benefit from a choice of Cavalok and Eurocell cavity closure systems, all manufactured using 100% recycled PVC-u for maximum sustainability.
“Cavalok is an excellent acquisition for Eurocell. It extends our product offering and will help deliver significant operational efficiency benefits, whilst demonstrating our commitment to continuously improving environmental performance” explained Patrick Bateman, CEO of Eurocell.
David Deacon, Cavalok's General Manager, commented
"The rapid rise of Cavalok as a premium brand in the new build sector
has now been recognised by the purchase of the business by Eurocell.
All of the Cavalok team are delighted with this opportunity to take
our products and expertise to the next level and secure our position
as market leader in the new build sector."
"Our current and future customers can be reassured that the values
instilled in our business from the outset will continue in the future,
enabling us to offer many more exciting product developments in
the years to come."
Eurocell is part of the Tessenderlo Group, an international chemicals group which employs over 8,000 people in more than 100 branches in 20 countries worldwide.
October 2008: New QUICK LOK
Corners Launched
In our latest round of product innovations
Cavalok is pleased to make available the updated, much improved
75mm+ frame corner connector. The QUICK LOK corner features a snap
fitting feature to rapidly increase fabrication speeds. In our tests
one minute of production time was saved per frame! The corner replaces
all existing supply and can be screw fitted as before or the new
LOK feature can be used instead. Download guidance
here
or view the product
here.
September 2008: BBA Accreditation
Renewed
Cavalok strives to provide building products
which can be used with confidence. One way we achieve this is to
submit our products to the rigours of external testing and approval.
Our certification by the British Board of Agrement has recently
been reconfirmed with the inclusion of details of the latest regulations,
new means of usage and product improvements giving you the guarantees
you need. The certificate can be downloaded
now.
August 2008: New Website
Now Online
Cavalok is proud to launch our brand new website.
Designed to be more user-friendly and more informative the site
will continue to grow over the coming months. Ultimately it will
become a vital online tool detailing our product range for all customers
-from window fitters to architects.
July 2008: Advancing Closure
Design with BRE
Cavalok cavity closure has been used as an
exemplar in the BRE's latest guidance on cavity closure design and
their thermal performance. IP0808 just published by the BRE and
IHS provides detailed methodology for analysing the thermal performance
of cavity closures.
June 2008: Cavalok At the
Harrogate Housing Show
Cavalok products will be exhibited at the important
Harrogate housing show and conference. In particular we are demonstrating
the timber frame functionality of our closure systems which are
ideal for cutting construction costs and time. Our sales team will
be on hand to help with enquiries and educate all visitors about
our product benefits.
May 2008: Cavalok Win Anglian
Contract
Anglian Building Products, one of the UK's
largest window supply companies is now supplied by Cavalok cavity
closures. Cavalok formers delivered by our fabricator network will
replace Anglian's in-house system. All Anglian new-build customers
will now receive the Cavalok closers as part of their window package
enhancing the construction quality of many more sites nationwide.
April 2008: The BigBlok System
Is Launched
Now in stock is Cavalok's new cavity closer
range. The next generation of Cavity Closures for the steadily widening
cavities of new residential and commercial construction.
With the capability to close
any cavity width BigBlok is set to become the cavity closer
choice for more environmentally conscious construction. Already
an essential product in the South Wales construction industry the
BigBlok system will become a key building component nationwide.
