Emplas combines traditional style with high-performance in new flush casement

Opening-up significant new opportunities in retail, Optima has been designed by Profile 22 to emulate traditional timber window design. 

This includes a defining flush casement finish, mechanically jointed options, traditional top and deep bottom sash rail options, heritage dummy sash on frames with fixed lights and integrated hardware including monkey-tail handles and dummy peg stays.

With a simple chamfered finish to the sash externally, the outer-frame is available in either the Optima sculptured (QS) or chamfered (QC) finish internally. 

The 24mm internal bead comes in a Sculptured (Ovolo) shape for a beautiful internal finish. Standard coloured foils are available on a 10-day lead time including Rosewood, Light-oak, Black Brown, Anthracite grey, cream (both sides only) and white (both sides only).   

With its in-house spray painting facility Kolorplas, Emplas can also offerany RAL colour to meet stringent planning requirements. 

Available in 24mm glazing with astragal bar options, Optima Flush is supplied by Emplas as a WER A+ window as standard. Typical U-values start at 1.3W/m2K.

Ryan Johnson, Managing Director, Emplas said: “What Optima Flush gives us and more importantly our customers, over and above our standard Optima offer is a window developed specifically for a heritage market. 

“Optima in its sculptured and chamfered options is a very flexible offer and suitable for a wide variety of installations including modern and period. Optima Flush extends that reach further, opening additional opportunities on older properties or potential opportunities in conservation areas, where PVC-U was previously excluded, or where consumers simply want that heritage finish. 

Using the same standard Optima outerfram and 15mm to 50mm packers, Optima Flush has also been designed to be familiar to installers. 

Cill sizes start from 85mm, couplers come in a range of sizes from 3mm to 29mm. Emplas can also offer baypoles with variable square and 135° variants.

Optima in its ‘standard’ casement Sculptured and Chamfered was launched by Emplas last summer. It’s built around a six chamber outer frame and five chamber sash. It includes a choice of 24mm and 28mm double, and 36mm, 40mm and 44mm triple-glazed beading options. This means that it comfortably achieves u-values as low as 0.8W/m2K on triple-glazed units. 

It’s decision to add Optima to its offer sits as part of a long-term strategy to build a product offering geared to generating opportunity for installers. 

“Optima delivers a host of other innovations for example a larger rebate and reduced bulk in the upstand compared or optional third seals on the outer frame and sash, which provide the additional selling points”, says Johnson. 

“In supporting installers in accessing heritage or period installations, Optima Flush also opens up potentially higher margin opportunities. With a very flexible colour offer on competitive lead times, dedicated hardware, it’s a really strong retail proposition and as a completely new system, one which is highly attuned to the market.” 

According to the The Window, Door and Conservatory Markets in Housing in Great Britain, by Palmer Market Research a flattening of the market in 2015 saw total volume fall by 0.7%. This was, however, offset by a shift towards higher-end products and higher value installations, which delivered a 2% increase in installed value to £4.20 billion.

Johnson concluded: “We’re investing over £3million across our business this year alone. In our manufacturing capability, in the way that we work with our customers and in our product offer to them. “It’s part of our commitment to give our customers access to every tool that they could need to win business. Optima Flush is a key element of that strategy.”