Platform on sun and daylight control, shutters, patio covers and closures
At the end of June, Dieter Maes (44) took over the position of General Manager of Renson Outdoor at Renson from Dieter Heyman, who led the youngest of Renson's business units for ten years. "I am confident that with Dieter we have found someone who can not only ensure the continuity of our outdoor division, but also give a new boost to our international ambitions," Dieter Heyman is convinced.
Dieter Maes has more than 20 years of experience in international marketing, sales and business development at companies such as Verstraete IML and Multi-Color Corporation. "I absolutely believe in the added value of a strong team, with the right combination of people and their talents. By joining forces and using everyone's expertise optimally, you get the best results. There is a lot of talent at Renson. I look forward to working with them to convince the world that Renson is the brand par excellence in the field of high-end tailor-made outdoor living, distinctive in quality, design and durability. Through continuous dialogue and innovation, we want to remain one of the market leaders in outdoor living."
CEO Paul Renson is convinced of Dieter Maes' approach and capabilities and is confident that he can further grow Renson Outdoor internationally in a constantly changing and more complex market. "With Dieter Maes we bring in an experienced man who can further propagate the innovative Renson DNA internationally. Interest in outdoor living has only grown since the establishment of our outdoor living division in 2009. Projects, buildings and public spaces increasingly focus on well-being and health, with nature in a prominent role. As a manufacturer, we are responding to this. And that keeps opening up new perspectives and opportunities worldwide. It's up to Dieter to keep spotting these latest trends and working on them with the entire outdoor team."
"At the same time, I would like to thank Dieter Heyman for his work and wish him every success in his further career," Paul Renson continued. "Thanks in part to his efforts and passion, Renson has become the reference for quality and design. The growth we have experienced so far is partly due to him."
Renson (1600 employees, 300 million euro turnover) wants to continue the trend by focusing on innovation, communication and internationalization (apart from Europe, Renson is active in the USA, the Middle East, Asia and Australia). The focus is on a healthy and comfortable indoor climate (ventilation and shading) as well as a pleasant outdoor life. The emphasis is on sustainable and aesthetically integrated total concepts that meet high requirements in terms of energy efficiency, acoustics and design.
Udo Pingel is the specialist for roller shutter components and product solutions, has a vast knowledge of the SELVE range and is a connoisseur of the sun protection and roller shutter industry. He has enjoyed working for the family company SELVE for 47 years and is now retiring. As product manager for roller shutter technology, he handed over his duties to his successor Rene Matuschewski at the beginning of June.
For years, octagonal shafts, roller caps, belt guides, gearboxes, roll-off motor bearings or the SecuFix rigid shaft connection were Udo Pingel's métier. Starting out as a toolmaker, from 1971 he focused on his own development, among other things by studying photographic engineering. After nine years, he returned to the company in Lüdenscheid, where he held various positions, including sales manager Southern. From 2010, he diligently further developed the roller shutter technology division by working as product manager to perfect the product range and optimize products and as contact person for specialized customers. For them he also initiated individual component developments and was involved in the implementation of several new products.
Udo Pingel has demonstrated that he knows the right product for every roller shutter issue. SELVE has about 2,500 products in its range for this purpose, an important source of sales for the company. It was therefore imperative for SELVE to find a successor for Udo Pingel. That became Rene Matuschewski.
Udo Pingel (70) always highly valued his work and continued to work at SELVE longer than usual, eventually part-time. Now "this legend is leaving his SELVE," the company said in a statement. Pingel said he always "greatly appreciated the positive interaction with management and his colleagues."
Pingel is currently handing over his duties to his successor Rene Matuschewski (26), a mechanical engineer who has been part of the SELVE team since the beginning of June. As product manager for roller shutter technology, he will work together with the product managers for drives, controls and textile blinds. "I find SELVE's broad product range, the most comprehensive in the roller shutter industry, very interesting," Matuschewski said. "Furthermore, 'Made in Germany' appeals to me, as well as SELVE's 'family-like' structure."
As Rene Matuschewski gets more and more settled in, gets a better picture of all SELVE departments and goes through various internships with SELVE customers, Udo Pingel retreats more and more to enjoy the outdoors: hiking, playing tennis, biking, the garden... "After 47 years at SELVE, leisure, vacation and especially my family and family now become my top priorities!"
Recent data from information agency Milieu Centraal show that on hot days, the demand for mobile air conditioners in stores increases sharply, but also that more and more people choose to have a fixed air conditioner installed. By now, about 30% of households already have a fixed or mobile air conditioner. In addition, another 30% percent are considering purchasing one.
Although the demand for air conditioners is thus increasing, Milieu Centraal does not advocate the use of these devices, preferring to use shading devices to prevent the temperature in homes or buildings from rising too far. The organization points to the significant costs and climate damage resulting from the high energy consumption of air conditioners. A mobile air conditioner, for example, consumes about 20 times more electricity than a simple fan, according to the organization.
So despite the high cost and environmental damage, the number of fixed air conditioning installations is growing steadily. According to CBS data, in 2015 about 16,000 people had an air conditioner installed, while in 2022 more than 285,000 people did!
Source: Housing360, July 2023
Industry capital of the Netherlands Eindhoven is known not only for DAF, Philips, VDL and more recently ASML, but also for Luxaflex® Outdoor (formerly Mado). However, the latter industrial company is soon to close its doors in Eindhoven. The production of sun blinds of the famous brand will be moved to Poland and the Czech Republic. With this, after more than sixty years, the production of sun blinds in Eindhoven will come to an end.
In the AD/Eindhovens Dagblad, Aad Kuiper, CEO of Hunter Douglas reacted to this decision: "To keep a company successful, continuous adjustments are needed, with reorganizations sometimes being unavoidable. Luxaflex® Outdoor is a healthy company, but insufficiently profitable. By moving this production to our factory abroad, we can combine forces within Hunter Douglas and thereby achieve production volumes that ultimately ensure a certain continuity. This move allows us to continue to maintain our high quality standards, combined with a deep and wide product range. Of course, we take responsibility for our people in Eindhoven. We will take good care of them."
A year ago, Luxaflex®'s production of interior blinds was also moved to Poland and the Czech Republic. This meant the loss of several dozen jobs in Hardinxveld-Giessendam. Most of the people who worked at Luxaflex® in Eindhoven have since found work elsewhere in anticipation of the relocation.
2022 American-Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital has acquired 75% of the shares of Hunter Douglas, the parent company of Luxaflex®, from owner Ralph Sonnenberg for 4.7 billion euros. Investor 3G Capital, which also owns Burger King and Kraft Heinz, among others, is known as a party with a strong commitment to efficiency.
Source: Eindhovens Dagblad, June 30, 2023.
Skylights are becoming increasingly popular in modern homes. They provide natural light, which contributes to a healthier and more pleasant living environment. Depending on the effect one wants to achieve with them, a skylight can have different shapes and sizes, from traditional to modern and from modest to bulky.
One of the biggest advantages of a skylight is that natural light can enter the interior. This can lead to energy savings because less artificial light is needed. In addition, natural light has a positive effect on human well-being. In addition, skylights give a more spacious feeling: the natural light entering from above makes rooms appear larger.
Indoor Climate
Skylights whose windows can be opened allow ventilation, allowing a home or building to be cooled and ventilated naturally. On the other hand, insulation is also important to keep heat in during the colder months and heat out during the warmer seasons. This adds to living and living comfort and saves heating and cooling costs.
Blinds for the skylight
Bringing natural light into a home or space is wonderful, of course, but there may be times when the entry of solar heat needs to be limited. That's why there are special solar shading solutions for skylights, which can regulate the incident solar radiation to prevent overheating and/or light nuisance.
The most effective is exterior blinds because they prevent heat from entering. An exterior blinds can also be retrofitted if necessary. If this is already taken into account in the construction of the skylight, it makes sense to have electricity installed at the time of construction, although with the rapid advance of solar solutions, this is becoming less and less important.
Blinds on the inside of the skylight are of course also possible. An interior blinds with tension wires (thin cables that keep the fabric taut) and manual operation is often the cheapest version. Alternatives have side guides and can be manually or electrically operated. Some modern skylights can be integrated into smart home automation systems, allowing them to be controlled remotely or by weather sensors, for example, to provide automatic or weather-dependent ventilation and sun protection. Any blinds, of course, can also be included in such a smart home system.
Increasing the home value
Adding a skylight to a home or building - especially if it is high-quality and equipped with blinds - can significantly increase its value. Potential buyers see the aesthetic and functional benefits of a skylight (with blinds), making homes equipped with them more desirable. Moreover, the energy-saving aspect of skylights with blinds also contributes to higher appreciation, making it a smart long-term investment.
Source: Construction and Housing.
As part of the hospitality trade fair INTERGASTRA, Messe Stuttgart is presenting the special exhibition OUTDOOR. AMBIENTE. LIVING. Manufacturers of sun protection and weather protection will present their solutions for outdoors there on the inner grounds of the exhibition complex - the Rothaus Park. The motto of this show is "Enjoying the outdoors - 365 days a year. This presentation will remain after the hospitality fair and can also be visited during the R+T from 19 to 23. Producers with a reputation in the hospitality industry such as Bahama, Caravita, Corradi, Erhardt Markisen, Euromarkisen, Leiner, Lucas Outdoor, markilux, ParaPro, Reflexa, Shadesign and Warema have already promised and confirmed their participation in this special exhibition. There they will show their solutions for the optimal use of catering terraces in a variety of weather conditions, ranging from awnings and tarpaulins to all possible terrace coverings and accessories.
"Awning products for the commercial sector - especially the hospitality industry - have to meet special requirements in most cases," knows Christiane Berning, Head of Marketing & Business Development at markilux. "Often larger surfaces have to be protected from weather conditions. In addition, additional equipment and individual technical solutions are often required. It's about designing outdoor spaces for the most diverse target groups."
The event OUTDOOR. AMBIENTE. LIVING. offers the opportunity to show these products in their application outdoors, which is an important point especially for the target group. "The combination of INTERGASTRA and R+T is a good platform for this and appeals to a broad target group, which can be informed about the many possible solutions," said Christiane Berning. "For our products, such as our markilux markant, markilux syncra or markilux format, this is an excellent presentation opportunity in an exciting environment."
About OUTDOOR. AMBIENT. LIVING.
The special show OUTDOOR. AMBIENT. LIVING. shows everything the outdoor hospitality industry needs to make guests' stay as comfortable as possible in all weather conditions. OUTDOOR. AMBIENTE. LIVING was organized for the first time in 2018. After a successful edition in February 2020, this special show will face its next edition in February 2024, from February 3 to 7 during INTERGASTRA and from February 19 to 23, 2024 during R+T. More information at www.messe-stuttgart.de/outdoor.
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