KORNICHE - ‘FIT FOR PURPOSE’
As a multi-award-winning company at the disruptive forefront of glazing innovation for resellers and installers, Made for Trade have rapidly become the industry’s go-to for aluminium bi-fold doors and roof lanterns; marketed under the influential Korniche brand.
Seven years on, that brand is now requested by name alone from consumers and homeowners, but what is it that sets the product line apart? As the company looks ahead to meeting customers old and new, here are four reasons to come along and find out more at FIT 2023:
Engineering and Product Design
Made For Trade’s multi award-winning Korniche brand was founded with the idea to bring inspirational products to market via the use of innovative design and precision engineering not seen before in fenestration.
Created as completely bespoke systems from a clean sheet, the MFT engineering team design products founded on the three core principles of Precision, Simplicity and Beauty to offer uncompromised class-leading glazing. The combination of new technology and engineering experience means slim, industry-leading sightlines for the consumer thanks to low-profile extrusions, along with with robust long-lasting functionality and security.
Since 2016, the Korniche Roof Lantern was not only catapulted straight to the top of the desirability stakes at launch, but its game-changing engineering - backed up by experience derived from the motorsport and automotive sectors – means that this Korniche product still remains a forerunner in terms of construction.
The award-winning bi-folding door followed, underlined by the same principles and whilst other products may appear to offer some similar benefits, it is also the beauty of the design you can’t see that identifies Korniche and Made For Trade’s unique approach.
Korniche lanterns, for example, use a selection of aluminium components such as end caps and ridge bosses that have been uniquely die cast to suit, enabling greater accuracy and tighter tolerances to be achieved to the benefit of the structure. Meticulously engineered to be the strongest and stiffest on the market, the lantern supports industry-leading maximum glass sizes without the need for additional rafters, and the smart design details mean that glazing the structure is free of tapes and messy sealants, whilst Korniche Bi-Folding doors feature a similar raft of benefits.
The security aspect remains at the forefront of any Made For Trade product, and with enhanced protection as standard with Korniche, it is designed into products from day one. The doors and their durable frames come rigorously tested to keep homes protected – they are certified to the advanced PAS24:2016 standard, whilst the unique patented clip-in internal glazing bead is the standard by which all other systems are judged.
Of course, any benefits are soon lost if quality and consistency are not ensured for every item; from order through to installation. This quality includes the fit, finish and longevity of the product, and this is secured through the principles and practice of quality assurance and control for both the product and service.
Made For Trade recently gained the enviable ISO9001 certification - based on continually improving and optimising all stages of how the company operates; allowing the company to remain at the forefront of manufacturing and efficiency in the fenestration industry. These are just some of the reasons that Made for Trade was voted by industry peers as the NFA’s Aluminium Fabricator of the Year.
Impeccable Service
Having satisfied customers around the UK and expanding - becoming one of Ward Hadaways ‘Fastest 50’ companies in the North East in 2021 - the multi-award-winning Made for Trade prides itself on the phone and email support and service provided to its customers. Come and meet the team at FIT 2023, and discover the values of this family enterprise first-hand.
You’ll also have the chance to explore MFT’s class-leading website featuring CGI imagery alongside more traditional routes of product demonstration, allowing trade customers keen to get up close and personal with the award-winning products before committing to orders, or looking to expand their product or supplier portfolio.
Whilst visitors to the popular NEC exhibition will be able to get hands on with the Korniche product line, customers also have access to a contemporary showroom area at the firm’s Wynyard base where bi-folding doors are on display, and the area is complete with a Demonstration Build using a standard sized lantern. Prospective installers are invited to see for themselves just how quick and easy lantern construction and glazing is with the Korniche system using only basic tools.
Value and Extras
Each year, Made for Trade has continued to invest heavily in their customers and trade partners; offering all the resources needed to allow them to maximise sales and profit. The MFT team take care of nationwide promotion and ensure all the possible tools are to hand, meaning that customers can get on with the next step of project supply or fit.
The company’s ‘Brand Toolkit’ offers a one-stop resource for customers to find everything quickly in an online directory that adds value and helps develop sales. To assist with the creation of websites or social media use, promotional video content is available alongside trade brochures, literature and professional images showcasing Made For Trade’s highly regarded engineering-led approach to fenestration design.
The Brand Toolkit is supplemented by the Geo-Tool feature on the Korniche website, which actively points consumers towards a registered MFT partner to complete the transaction. Homeowners and project managers can find their nearest suppliers and installers with just a couple of clicks - a game-changing feature that is free for registered trade customers.
New for 2023, customers can specify a stylish modern Uni-Blind system in their Korniche Bi-Folding Doors; offering an integrated and energy-efficient light control solution that requires no installation or setup.
This finishing touch is rapidly gaining in popularity thanks to being maintenance-free and energy-efficient. The Screenline-based blinds use an SL20SV Sliding Control and are now available as an option on MFT’s online quotation request forms. These venetian systems are installed ready to use, whilst new and improved gaskets alongside the renowned Korniche ‘SpeedBead’ ensure the blinds are truly a ‘FIT, Glaze and GO’ system.
Installer Benefits
Ultimately the aim is to ensure installation is as straightforward as possible, saving the fitter time and therefore saving money for the consumer, and maximising profit for the trade partner.
The industry-leading Korniche lantern stands by its impressive ability to be ‘fitted in minutes and glazed in seconds’ owing to its unique design. There are no visible fixings on show and all joints are seamless. This means perfect aesthetics as it meets the eye and hints at the ‘clean sheet’ method of construction behind. The number, grade and size of fasteners, for example, have been optimised for security and rigidity compared with typical self-tapping screw fixings, whilst intricate details such as ridge bosses use anti-crush tubes for perfect installation torque to provide a superior, more precise fit than traditional glazing fittings such as flat plate.
Installation of a Korniche Roof Lantern involves a system that bolts together as a unitary structure rather than box sections and plates that flex or distort to the detriment of security, structural integrity and weatherproofing. This is not achieved through simplification of construction with speed in mind but clever engineering from the outset that creates a strong and secure glazed product, which is also convenient and time-saving for the installer.
Improving efficiency still further for the installer is the ‘One-Drop Delivery’ service now offered by Made for Trade. Having invested in excess of £400,000 over the last 18 months in its fleet of delivery vehicles, MFT now not only offer crane offloading for maximum ease and safety on site, but is proud to showcase a one-drop service that includes both the door system and glazing together on the same truck.
This significant investment allows MFT to offer a Document L-compliant glazed product at a much-reduced cost and increased convenience compared to having the glass delivered by a third party. Customers can now save up to 20% on glazing as a result, with the glass delivered direct to site via MFT. What’s more, the One-Drop delivery saves downtime on site dealing with deliveries and glass that could typically arrive a day or two either side of the door system.
Meet the team at FIT 2023 where you can discover Made for Trade’s market-leading products and service for yourself.
