STRIP AND REPLACE FOR MATALAN

For building owners, the aesthetic appearance is often as important as the performance. This is a particularly common consideration for retail outlets, with the external appearance of shops and other facilities forming a vital part of branding and marketing efforts. When a Matalan store in Southend undertook an extensive refurbishment programme, The Window Film Company were brought in to help.

The project had two requirements. Firstly, the removal of existing window film and graphics. The front of the premises is formed almost exclusively of large windows, meaning that solar control window film was necessary to ensure that the building didn’t overheat. Some of the glazing had been filmed, but the product had reached the end of its useful life and needed removing and replacing. Other panels featured printed graphics, featuring images and detail that was now out-dated. Both the old film and graphics had to be removed and replaced with a new application to ensure a consistent, professional looking external appearance.

A view of the property before the project began

The second part of the job was an application of film to areas that had previously been untreated. Glass with no form of protection in place allows heat to pass through and into premises, steadily contributing to a rising temperature and ultimately leading to an uncomfortable internal environment. While a large number of panels had been upgraded previously, the un-filmed glazing was still letting heat through and raising the temperature. These panels, of which there were 65, needed attention.

With a great deal of work taking place inside the premises, combined with a large amount of storage and display units, access to the internal face of the glass was impossible. This meant that an external application was required, utilising external grade film and necessitating the use of powered access equipment. 

The chosen film was High Reflective Silver, a high performance solar control film that works by reflecting away a large percentage of the sun’s solar energy before it can enter premises, preventing the steady build-up of heat. It does this without blocking the view and without sacrificing natural light, making it a far more practical and effective solution than large and expensive blinds. In addition, the film serves to cut down on glare and will also slow down the fading process - protecting stock, equipment and furnishings by blocking 99% of the sun’s harmful UV rays.

The installation was completed over a two day period, with one of The Window Film Company’s experienced and fully qualified fitting teams working both at ground level and at height to strip the existing film when necessary, before installing new film throughout. By the time the project was completed, 89 panes had seen the old film removed and replaced, with a further 65 receiving their first application of window film.

The result was a smart, consistent, contemporary and professional looking appearance, combined with an effective solar control solution - once applied, the film was effective immediately, protecting those inside from excess heat and glare.

For more information on the solar control solutions supplied and installed by The Window Film Company, please call a member of the team on 01494 794477 or email info@windowfilm.co.uk.