BLOG: Insight into AliDeck’s new balustrade system
We’re delighted to have recently worked with AliDeck on its new AliRail Insight system, which features Pyroguard Balustrades to meet the required fire safety regulations of buildings over 11 m tall. Here, we caught up with Richard Izzard, Managing Director at AliDeck to learn more about the system and what this new development means for their customers…
Can you tell us a bit more about the AliRail Insight Glass Balustrade System? What are its key benefits for the market?
Certainly! As well as being easy to assemble on site, with the ability to ‘build to fit’ on regeneration and renovation projects, I believe the main benefit has to be the aesthetic value. At AliDeck, we’ve been manufacturing and supplying metal balustrades for many years. However, this Insight system opens the door to a new, design-driven market for us, offering a higher-value visual impact.
When it comes to multi-million-pound apartments, the developer, architect and prospective buyer don’t want standard metal railings. They want a more aesthetic solution, and the inclusion of glass meets this brief perfectly.
When it comes to choosing the companies and manufacturers you work with, what qualities and factors do you consider?
For us, it’s all about the culture. We want to partner with like-minded businesses who think the same and who have the same goals. Our overarching priority is to deliver project successes to customers through a high-quality product. Over the years, we’ve had conversations with various companies who simply do not see business the way we do and so we have chosen not to partner with them as a result.
When it comes to manufacturing whole systems, such as the AliRail Insight balustrade, we choose to ally with companies who are also market-leaders in their field. Pyroguard is a great example of this; it’s surely not by chance that they are currently the only manufacturer to offer a fire safety glass solution for these applications. They are ambitious innovators, who recognise a challenge and work to develop a solution.
How did the partnership with Pyroguard first come about?
We were no strangers to Pyroguard, having already heard about their technical expertise and wide portfolio of solutions from our existing work within the industry.
Looking at the market, we had known for a while that we wanted to develop a glass balustrade solution that built upon our existing portfolio and also catered for the increasing number of requests we were receiving from clients. As manufacturers of predominantly aluminium decking, we entered into the product development process with an alternative mindset, which I think really helped us to create something different.
Glass was a key element of the brief, which led us to reach out to Pyroguard. It remains the clear and obvious choice and one that has been extremely successful so far.
You talk about how choosing AliDeck is about more than just choosing a product. How important is the technical support side of the market?
It really is vital; you simply couldn’t operate in this industry without offering this. Customers need confidence and they need support. People are nervous about what they are specifying – understandably so given that mistakes have been made, generating huge amounts of rework across the industry. There also remains the potential for misinformation and confusion around building regulations, with sweeping statements (that aren’t always correct) around what is and what isn’t allowed.
Our mission is to create project success. This is felt at every level, with our teams working closely with the industry, offering specification support, manufacturing support and even site visits. We endeavour to offer confidence, clarity and traceability, with technical support and clear documentation having a key role to play in this.
How have you seen the fire safety market change in recent years? For better or for worse?
It’s definitely moving in the right direction. We’re also seeing a new generation of designers and specifiers coming through into the industry – post-Grenfell, post-Covid, with greener mindsets and renewed attitudes towards fire safety.
That said, one challenge we continue to face is the “race to the bottom” mindset. Many of us are striving for better and pushing for greater legislation. However, we are still seeing decision-makers prioritise cost above everything. If we are to truly see positive change, the industry needs to maintain this push forwards and not let old habits creep back in.
At AliDeck, we promise a Right Spec Guarantee. This means that we will only recommend the best solution for your project requirements and will willingly walk away from a project if this is at odds to what the customer wants or expects. Ultimately, as manufacturers and suppliers, we all have a duty of care for building occupants and residents.
For more information about Pyroguard Balustrades please contact us – or you can read more about our collaboration with AliDeck and the AliRail Insight Glass Balustrade System at www.alideck.co.uk