Okopod Selects Hörmann RollMatic Roller Doors For Striking 9-Car Garage

Modular building specialist Okopod has specified Hörmann RollMatic roller garage doors for a newly completed 9-car garage project in Cambridge, showcasing the company’s commitment to sustainable design and precision-engineered construction. Founded in 2019, Okopod has quickly become a leader in the manufacture and supply of eco-friendly modular pods for use as garden rooms, workspaces, and garages.

Drawing on lean manufacturing techniques inspired by the automotive sector, the company’s offsite construction process ensures minimal waste, high build quality, and reduced disruption on site. In one of their most recent installations, Okopod delivered a Scandinavian-inspired garage structure designed to store a collection of classic and performance cars. The double-height garage accommodates up to nine vehicles, thanks to an integrated stack parking system, offering a luxurious yet practical solution that blends seamlessly into family life.

To complement the clean, contemporary exterior, which is clad in vertically arranged, sustainably sourced Red Grandis timber - Okopod selected two fully automated Hörmann RollMatic roller doors for their slim profile, reliable performance, and stylish modern aesthetic. A double-width door (6000mm x 2100mm) and single-width door (2600mm x 2100mm) were installed, both finished in Anthracite Grey (RAL 7016) to perfectly match the garage’s refined, minimalist palette.

“Our design ethos is rooted in the belief that less is more,” says James Home, Founder of Okopod. “This project is all about celebrating materials and craftsmanship. The Hörmann doors provided the perfect balance of function and form - elegant, discreet, and built to last.”

The Hörmann roller doors were supplied and installed by Fenland Garage Doors, ensuring smooth integration into the structure. The slimline fit of the RollMatic doors allow for maximum internal clearance, while offering the robust security and convenience demanded for the high-value vehicles housed within. For further information on Hörmann RollMatic roller garage doors visit  Garage Doors | Hörmann or call 01530 516868 

A Window Onto SWA Refurbishment Project Winner 2025, Associated Steel Window Services

At the 2025 Steel Window Association awards, the Refurbishment Project winner was named as Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) for the work on the Empress building at 35 Dover Street, Mayfair.

Kris Bennell, Operations Director of Associated Steel Window Services and President of the SWA, shares insights into the company.

Pictured are Laura Mercer, Managing Director, and Kris Bennell, Operations Director, of ASWS

How long has Associated Steel Window Services been in business? 

ASWS is a family-managed business now into its third generation and 58^th year as a specialist steel window refurbishment and replacement company. The company has evolved since 1960 and is now a leading company in the steel window, and wider fenestration refurbishment, industry.  

What is your core business?

ASWS is a heritage window and door refurbishment contractor, specialising in works on large scale construction projects throughout the UK. In recent times, we have worked on prestigious projects including the Ikea Development at 214 Oxford Street, Battersea Power Station, County Hall, The Whiteley, BBC Bush House and Hackney Town Hall – among others. As a company, we can help with any requirements you have involving windows; examples are condition surveys, enabling, refurbishment, replacement, servicing, maintenance or reglazing.

What are the target markets for Associated Steel Window Services - architect, designer, property owner, managing agent and others?

We are predominantly a commercial business focusing on the large to mid-scale construction sites across London and the South. We undertake most of our work directly for architects, clients and Tier 1, 2 and 3 main contractors. We specialise in refurbishment and heritage projects, and have taken on some of the largest and most demanding projects in the UK, in the last decade.

How long has the company been a member of the Steel Window Association? And why?

We joined the SWA in the late 1980’s as it was such a widely regarded association of experts by architects, main contractors and the specifiers. We wanted to be recognised as the best of the best and, to be a member of the SWA, meant just that. In that sense, not much has changed for the association but that’s a good thing, I think. We are still a collective of experts in our fields, whether that be the manufacture, refurbishment or surveying of fenestration.

What sets Associated Steel Window Services apart? What do you see as a competitive advantage you offer that other companies do not?

I think it’s our passion for the work, our drive to succeed and our wealth of family knowledge. Being a third-generation business, this isn’t just what we do Monday to Friday; it’s our life. It may sound odd, but I grew up hearing about windows, hearing about the current projects. It was something I saw my parents love and something I couldn’t wait to get involved in.

Key projects you would like to mention?

I think we have been very lucky to not only work on some of the most significant historical buildings in London over the years, such as BBC Bush House (the former headquarters of BBC World Service), 214 Oxford Street, Hackney Town Hall, County Hall, the Royal Academy of Arts, but we have also worked on some of the biggest projects in the UK and even Europe in the last five years. These projects include Battersea Power Station refurbishment, Olympia, London and The Whiteley. Such projects have greatly increased our skill and ability to work with the biggest and the best main contractors.

What do you see as the biggest challenges to the steel window industry in the UK today?

I think it’s no secret to anyone in construction that, traditionally, steel’s biggest weakness has been seen as thermal performance. Yet we have seen such great development, from within the industry and particularly the SWA, over the last decade to keep up with regulation changes that we are able to really challenge this traditional misconception. With WERS and DERS testing, real advancement in glazing technology and performance, and the ability to retrofit all of this to refurbished windows, is allowing us to very much keep in touch with the modernisation of fenestration across the UK.

Pictured is County Hall, London which was built in 1922 where ASWS has restored and refurbished the architectural steelwork for over 30 years.

What are the company's top priorities over the next few years?

Keeping steel at the forefront of historic buildings across the UK. It’s what we love, it’s what we know and it’s who we are. We, as a business, are developing to help building management companies, clients, architects and main contactors work, plan and execute heritage projects across the UK from inception to completion. We are able to offer services throughout, with condition surveys, tendering, all elements of steel (and timber) window refurbishment as well as the planning and heritage consultation we can advise on.

One of our most frequent compliments is the way we help to manage heritage, planning and site works. A Site Director recently said that “working on a listed building of this importance means you are not just confronted with all of the problems from the past, but also those lying in the present. With regards to the heritage aspects to the façade and the restoration of the different window types, it was the Crown Estates representative who attended site for regular monthly reviews.  He was definitely very happy with the way that the work was conducted and completed by ASWS.” 

How long has your oldest member of staff been working at Associated Steel Window Services? What makes an employee want to stay with the company?  Any other key members?

Last year, we took Rob Ackland and his family out to dinner in County Hall, to celebrate his 30^th anniversary with us! We chose County Hall because it was Rob’s first project with us in 1994 and he has been on every single contract there since; in 2015, 2019, 2023 and 2024. We are a family-run business, and the family extends to all our staff.

We regularly have days out, celebrations of end of projects and we are always willing to listen and learn about how we can make the working experience of our team better. My dad has always said that, in business, “you are only ever as good as your last job”, and the people doing those jobs are people like Rob and our team. Without them, we would not be the business we are and that’s at the core of our thinking and it will remain like that for what I hope will be many generations to come.  For further information on the Steel Window Association or if you’re interested in becoming a member, please visit www.steel-window-association.co.uk

Aluprof Introduced The Next-Generation Casement Window

By Wojciech Brożyna, MD Aluprof UK - A perfect aluminium window system seamlessly combines high-performance engineering with elegant design. Extruded aluminium frames, thermally broken with polyamide or polyurethane insulators, ensure exceptional thermal efficiency and minimise heat transfer, reducing energy consumption and preventing condensation.

By Wojciech Brożyna, MD Aluprof UK

Slim sightlines maximise glass area for optimal natural light, whilst precision-engineered mullions and transoms provide structural rigidity, even in large-format units. High-quality double or triple glazed units with low-E coatings and inert-gas fills, offer acoustic insulation and solar control, creating a comfortable, quiet interior environment without compromising on transparency or views. Beyond core performance, the perfect aluminium window system prioritises durability, security, and customisation.

Marine-grade finished profiles resist corrosion in harsh coastal or urban environments, while robust multi-point locking hardware and impact-resistant glazing enhance safety. A broad palette of powder-coat or anodised finishes allows architects and homeowners to tailor the aesthetic, whether a sleek, contemporary matte-black or a classic metallic sheen, without sacrificing long-term colour stability.

Modular design and integrated drainage channels simplify installation and maintenance, while compatibility with smart-home sensors and ventilation accessories ensures that the window system adapts to evolving building standards and occupant needs over its decades-long service life. Enter the newly launched MB-79N CSF aluminium window system from Aluprof, a slim-profile, outward-opening window system that blends minimalist aesthetics with robust thermal performance.

With fixed‐frame sightlines as narrow as 35.2 mm and operable casement profiles from just 60.5 mm, it maximises glazing area without sacrificing structural integrity. Its three-chamber, thermally broken profiles are offered in two insulation grades, the cost-effective ST variant and the high-efficiency SI variant with dedicated insulating inserts. The ST variant offers a U-value of 1.42 W/(m²K) using double glazing and 0.97 W/(m²K) when using triple glazing, whilst the SI variant offers a U-value of 1.37 W/(m²K) using double glazing and 0.93 W/(m²K) when using triple glazing. Designers can choose between a flush exterior appearance, where sash and frame sit flush for a monolithic look, or a slightly extended casement for more pronounced shadow lines.

The complete system accommodates fixed, side-hung and top-hung opening casements allowing a wide range of composite configurations. Beyond its clean lines, the MB-79N CSF offers fabricators and end users tangible benefits in manufacture, security and longevity. A proprietary hybrid hinge supports casement weights up to 80 kg, enabling larger glass areas without compromising ease of operation or weather resistance. Fabrication is streamlined by dedicated tooling and optimised assembly workflows, whilst architects appreciate the wide colour palette of finishes and the ability to specify double or triple-glazed units up to 63 mm thick.

Homeowners and developers gain long-term peace of mind from burglary-resistant options (RC1–RC3), hurricane-impact testing to Florida Building Code standards, and marine-grade corrosion protection ensuring that the MB-79N CSF remains secure, efficient and beautiful for decades to come. The MB-79N CSF window forms part of ‘Aluprof Living’ which is Aluprof’s dedicated residential range of high-performance aluminium framing systems, these are designed to bring expansive, uninterrupted glass walls and striking entrance features into any home without compromising on comfort or efficiency.

Each system in the range incorporates polyamide thermal-break technology with innovative insulating inserts to deliver excellent U-values that prevent thermal bridging, whilst slim sightlines maximise daylight and views. Homeowners and designers can choose from a virtually unlimited palette of RAL colours including wood-grain finishes for bespoke aesthetics.

Homeowners can benefit from Aluprof’s expert local support through a nationwide dealership offering specification support through to installation, ensuring both perfect aesthetic design and long-term, low-maintenance performance.

Aluprof UK have been supporting specifiers in the UK and Ireland for nearly twenty years with advanced systems that include, high performance windows doors and facade systems. Many UK and Ireland based fabricators and installers supply these systems and are on hand to offer surveys and cost analysis as to what improvements can be made with likely paybacks. Further information about the wide range of systems and specification support is available through the company website at aluprof.co.uk or for home improvement at aluprofliving.com and direct from their UK head office in Altrincham by phoning +44 (0) 161 941 4005.