Major refurb for iconic Manchester building | Glazerite

As part of a large scale renovation programme, The Glazerite UK Group Limited and its Stockport-based customer, Arctic Seal MCR Ltd, have supplied and installed 1000 windows for a state-of-the-art 260,000 square foot business community.

Universal Square is a unique office campus based on the Piccadilly fringe of Manchester City Centre, offering a professional service to more than 50 companies.

As part of the demanding refurbishment project, five new interlinked buildings are all congregated around an impressive courtyard, with 24-hour security, car parking facilities, a restaurant, fitness centre and more.

The old building has been completely transformed and, as well as external cladding to the complete building, 1000 VEKA M70 windows were supplied to Arctic Seal for installation.

The new structurally coupled windows are finished in Anthracite to replicate aluminium in alignment with the modern, 21st century look and feel of the building. All ground floor windows are Secured By Design accredited and all glazing is grey tinted.

Arctic Seals Director Shahzad Ashraf commented: 

"Having visited the Glazerite UK Group stand at the 2017 FIT Show, we were very impressed with the quality of their windows, and in addition to that their windows met our requirements in terms of what size frame they could supply. Since then we have worked with them on the Universal Square project, as well as two office-to-flat conversions in both Derby and Cannock, totalling around 1000 windows. Each of these were standard frames but with different levels of glass spec due to soundproofing and depending on elevation. All projects have run to schedule tanks to great communication from Glazerite and all deliveries arriving as planned."

Glazerite's Sales Manager Pete Smith said:

"This project is one of three across the county that we have worked on together with Arctic Seal within the last year after meeting at last year's FIT Show. The 2017 show was a platform for Glazerite to showcase further new projects and support services, and we are pleased this has led to working with Arctic Seal on such projects."  Pete added: "Now almost complete, the Universal Square project no longer bears any resemblance at all to the building that was historically built to house Great Universal Stores. Arctic Seal have achieved a fantastic result with an inviting and modern space for businesses of all sectors, from SMEs to some major blue chip companies. This was a great project to be involved with and the newly transformed building will play an iconic role in the Manchester commuter belt, with its location on the main rail track into the city."