Reynaers UK Press Trip To Reynaers Campus In Belgium
Senior members of the Reynaers UK team recently hosted some of the UK’s glass and glazing industry’s leading trade journalists for an overseas trip to Reynaers Group headquarters in Belgium - giving a unique insight into the history of the company, its commitment to quality and innovation, and a look at its ambitious plans for the future.
Reynaers Head of Marketing, Samantha Hill, and Technical Services Director, John McComb, played host to Luke Wood (Glass Times), Charissa King (Glass and Glazing Products), George Lewis Total Installer/Total Fabricator), Steve Sidebottom (ClearView) and Donna Crockett (Windows Active) for a two-day visit to Reynaers Campus in Duffel.
The Campus, which was built in 2017 spans an area of more than 280,000 m2. A truly unique institution dedicated to sharing knowledge and experience with architects, fabricators and contractors, and to showcase the pioneering and innovative technologies and solutions that Reynaers is best known for.
During the visit the journalists took a guided tour of the ‘experience room’ – a digitally enhanced product showroom that showcases some of the company’s extensive product range, as well as offering inspiration and information at a glance. Open to invited customers, fabricators, architects, and project developers it provides the experience to see a host of Reynaers leading windows, doors, sliding doors, bi-fold doors, and curtain walling solutions up close and evaluate their technical characteristics.
The Reynaers Campus also accommodates one of the most advanced testing centres for windows, doors, and façades in the industry. The ‘technology centre’ is the place where Reynaers rigorously tests its systems and products to ensure they meet the highest level of international standards. The centre features five calibrated test walls with a total capacity for 10 different test positions. One of the showpieces of the test centre is a state-of-the-art testing wall for curtain walls. Reaching a height of 15 metres, the specially developed test wall enables Reynaers to carry out air, wind and water tightness tests, especially on glass façades. For windows and doors, there is a 20 metres wide wall that’s used to execute tests for air permeability, wind load and water tightness.
Undoubtedly one of the most impressive parts of the Campus is Reynaers proprietary Avalon virtual reality ‘cave’ which allows visitors to walk around a building while it’s in the design stage, through a shared virtual reality experience. Avalon provides a unique and transformative look at the future of building design, utilising BIM data to create a virtual 3D version of a building giving users the chance to navigate through different spaces and review a variety of design aspects by adjusting dimensions of rooms or building elements and changing colours and materials. This powerful tool is set to radically change the way the design of a building is evaluated and visualized.
The journalists were also given a whistlestop tour of some of the company’s most impressive and complex project installations from across the world by Teodor Caragiooiu, façade specialist engineer, and one of the company’s special projects team. He provided an insight into how they overcome some of the most complicated engineering and architectural challenges through the bespoke design and specification of the company’s curtain walling and window and door systems.
Many of the systems installed in these landmark projects have been adapted from products that are available to the domestic and retail market. He used an analogy that perfectly illustrates the value this offers to Reynaers customers. The Formula 1 supercars are designed and manufactured by the likes of Mercedes, Renault or Alfa Romeo. Although their performance capabilities must be to a higher specification, the manufacturer uses the same design and build principles, and the products are subject to the same rigorous testing and quality standards as those sold to consumers.
“We’re extremely proud to be a part of the Reynaers Group and the accessibility this provides in terms of tapping into some of the world’s leading technologies and expertise in the industry today,” explains Samantha Hill, Head of Marketing at Reynaers UK.
“This is the first time we’ve taken some of the UK journalists to the Campus and it’s given them a real insight into the company, and its commitment and passion not only with regards to its products and systems, but in the respectful way it treats its people, and by providing a calm and enriching environment in which to work and learn.”
The two-day visit also included a walking architectural tour of Antwerp taking in the city sights and visiting several recently built commercial buildings featuring Reynaers leading window and door systems. To round up the event, Reynaers treated the group to a tour of the only independent brewery left in Belgium complete with the chance to taste some of their award-winning beers.
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