St Helens RLFC ‘The Saints’ and Pilkington Activ™ are on their way to Wembley - for the first Carnegie Challenge Cup Final to be played at the new stadium. Last month we broke the news that we’ve sponsored the team for the rest of the season. It certainly seems to be a lucky partnership so far, Saints earned their place in the final by beating Bradford Bulls in a stunning match at Huddersfield’s Galpharm Stadium. The final will be shown live on the BBC on August 25; which will give widespread exposure for Pilkington Activ™ to millions of TV viewers.

Pilkington is touring the country to spread the word about its new energy efficient IGU - Pilkington energiKare™. The seminars will be held in locations across the UK throughout October. Each event will advise window installers about the benefits of the product and how they can get involved in this exciting initiative.

South Western Windows is celebrating after winning a contract to fit out a hotel in Wales with Pilkington Activ™. The company, which has been trading for 12 years, recently supplied the Premier Travelodge in Cardiff with our self-cleaning glass thanks to a recommendation from South Western Windows Managing Director, Karl Quick.

There’s nothing obscure about Pilkington Eclipse Advantage™ as sales continue to exceed expectations - nearly 10,000m2 was sold in the past three months alone in both 4mm and 6mm thickness. Pilkington Eclipse Advantage™ Clear made up 60 per cent of sales, however it is also available in a number of additional colours and coatings such as Evergreen and Bronze.

Pilkington Planar™ became a TV star thanks to a recent television programme outlining the most important innovations of the last 100 years. “James May’s 20th Century” hit our screens in July on BBC2 and put to the test some of the biggest developments in industry over the years. Top Gear presenter, James, travelled to the Pilkington research and development centre in Lathom to discover just how far glazing technology has progressed by dropping one of the most iconic cars of the 20th century, a Mini, on to it. Did you watch it? If not we’ve put a clip on the Pilkington website so you don’t have to miss out, and the show will be repeated on the BBC in September.

Pilkington energiKare™ has proved extremely popular with our customers and a number have already signed up to supply the new IGU. Two companies who have been quick off the mark are Polar Windows (Chesterfield) Ltd and Independent Glass Co Ltd. Polar Windows, which is based in Derbyshire, was recently presented with its British Fenestration Ratings Council C rated windows certificate at the Northern Counties Housing Associations’ open day. Its window is made from manufacturer Profile 22’s FS Suite and glazed with Pilkington energiKare™.

Everyone setting foot in the new extension of the historic John Rylands Library in Manchester will be enjoying the surroundings with added clarity, thanks to our glass. The extension to the original building, which was built in 1900, features 512m2 of Pilkington Planar™ incorporating Pilkington Optiwhite™. It was used extensively in the exterior of the newly added structure, and also features in the interior in the stair balustrade within the atrium and the glass bridge which connects the new building with the old. It has made a stunning building even more impressive.

Our specialist roof glass manufacturer, Pilkington Aintree is furlongs ahead of its competitors, averaging more than 600 conservatory roofs per month from its manufacturing unit near Liverpool, taking advantage of the home improvement boom.

As the Premiership transfer merry-go-round swings into action, the Pilkington Fantasy Football League is back and raring to go, are you?  This year we have a revamped website and a host of new prizes to get your hands on - IF you prove that you are the Alex Ferguson of the glazing world. Will the newly promoted teams feature some bargain buys? Or will you stick with high point scorers like Ronaldo and Lampard? Make sure you register to be part of the fantasy football action and beat your colleagues in the process.

Our website www.pilkington.co.uk continues to show a real upturn in activity in the first half of 2007, with over 31,000 visits to the site recorded in June. This compares to an average of 24,500 visits over the final 3 months of 2006. After our home page, the most visited page in our site is the Product Directory homepage and the Glass Range for Architects and Specifiers is being downloaded from the site more than any other brochure.