Britain's best source of building product & construction news

Window coverings and architectural products manufacturer, Hunter Douglas, has acquired NBK Ceramic. Based in Germany, NBK is a manufacturer of large format terracotta facades. The company has projected sales in 2007 of USD22 million. Hunter Douglas say NBK will continue to operate independently under its current management.

Staffordshire-based ceilings specialist Hunter Douglas met one of its biggest ever ceiling challenge at ExCel, the international conference centre in London Docklands, when it provided 20,000m² of it's Luxalon ceiling systems. An Open Cell 50E system was used for the high level main concourse and retail units, while the cafe areas were fitted with an Open Cell T-15 ceiling. Additionally, 5,000m² of aluminium panels from the 300C range are fitted above the main concourse, while the balcony breakout conference rooms -feature 7,300m² of tile ceiling.

Façades from Hunter Douglas are being used to complete Phase 3 of the Malvern Hill Science Park development. The architectural manufacturer has supplied a full range of products to complement the building's eco-friendly design. More than 1,800m² of its Sandwich Wall HP+ is being integrated with windows, doors and more than 400m² of louvres to create a building that is protected from solar glare and heat gain in the summer, while retaining heat during the winter. The wall can be installed from the top of the building downwards, which allows scaffolding to be struck as work proceeds. Solar-powered, hydraulic sun tracking brise soleil is being used to provide protection to the south facing façade, with the vertical blades able to follow the path of the sun, and the integrated façade also combines with the use of natural ground water to heat and cool the building.

The Kingfisher Centre, Redditch has recently undergone a major facelift. One of the key elements was to mask the existing roof by installing a Luxalon aluminium open cell ceiling from Hunter Douglas. The existing ceiling comprised unappealing glazing lights above a space frame which was non load-bearing. The lightweight new-look allows natural light to filter through. It is based on an open cell system that allows lighting, smoke detectors and sprinklers to be concealed within the void.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Hunter Douglas Construction Elements directly for further details.

Some 'stunning results' are claimed to have been achieved by Hunter Dougls when it used its versatile rainscreen facade system QuadroClad. The architectural brief for one project was to create a high-value look using an existing concrete frame building - while achieving optimum weather-proofing and natural ventilation. The end result is a building which, combined with aluminium panels, has the appearance of four-sided structural glazing, but at a fraction of the cost. The new system, called QuadroMeleon is effectively a frameless version of the QuadroClad system.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Hunter Douglas Construction Elements directly for further details.

Aimed at assisting architects when designing larger ceilings, Hunter Douglas offers Luxalon stretch metal ceilings. The product is said to give architects the freedom to create innovative and exciting designs that are both practical and easy to install according to the manufacturer. Boasting an acoustic performance that makes them ideal for offices, shopping centres and other large facilities, the system comprises aluminium and steel tiles and planks . Custom designs are also possible

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Hunter Douglas Construction Elements directly for further details.

Aluminium ceilings from Hunter Douglas are provided by the Luxalon range of products. Each ceiling is custom made with panels integrated into a variety of types of lighting. All the systems can be fixed to plasterboard or suspended. Panels are recyclable and condensation resistant.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Hunter Douglas Construction Elements directly for further details.

One Portland Street in Manchester is the first building in the UK to feature the integrated Luxalon honeycomb cored rainscreen system, developed by Hunter Douglas Construction Elements. Situated close to the city's Picadilly Gardens, it incorporates the company's QuadroClad recessed window system into the development. The narrow lines created by the integrated window system's perimeter extrusion have been used to create a visual impact, without the need for abutment details. The extruded perimeter of the window system reduces the need for support structure to the rainscreen panels.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Hunter Douglas Construction Elements directly for further details.

For a new building on Brighton?s Grand Parade, the Luxalon facade system from Hunter Douglas Construction Elements has been employed. The building boasts a bold circular design and integrates Luxalon bi-modular sandwich wall ? specially designed to provide the building with smooth curves. Using coated aluminium panels, the facade helps to insulate and protect the building.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Hunter Douglas Construction Elements directly for further details.