When Rehau launched its co-extruded PVC-U window and door profile at the start of this year, we were quick to see the potential.

Part of the established Rehau TOTAL70 range, this is a new profile which wraps virgin material around a recycled core. It is a more sustainable alternative to traditional PVC-U profiles, but without any compromise on finish, colour, performance or durability.

While we are not seeing any great clamour for eco-friendly PVC-U windows from many of our clients as yet – their main focus is on how we collect and recycle the PVC-U windows we remove – we do think that it’s important for us to have this product in our range so that we can help to drive demand.

In fact, we are already fitting it on our largest replacement window contract for Moat. With no price premium on the more eco-friendly profile, it seems to us that we are simply doing the right thing by removing first generation PVC-U windows, sending them to be recycled and then fitting replacements which are manufactured using that very same recycled material.

There really is no discernible difference in the product and it is as easy to fit as all the other Rehau profiles so, at a time when all types of plastic are under intense environmental scrutiny, we think Rehau have delivered just what the market will need.

In fact, Rehau has acknowledged the role that installers like us have to play in getting their message about eco-friendly windows out to the market. I was interviewed recently by their marketing and PR team for a feature which will appear in Glass & Glazing Products magazine in November talking about the importance of their partnership with us. Once published, you can read it here: www.ggpmag.com