2012 sees the launch of an all-new service from Insight Data - the Insight Index – and the company believes it will transform the way people find suppliers, research information and source new products in the window, door, conservatory, glass and building products industry.

The Index is a new online portal that combines an industry-specific search engine with a product finder and supplier directory. Helen Costeloe-Hughes, Commercial Director at Insight Data explains; “The problem with general search engines is the sheer volume, relevance and accuracy of information.  For example, there are 204 million listings for ‘hardware suppliers’ on Google.  People want key information quickly and accurately when searching for products, technical data or suppliers which is why an industry-specific business-to-business portal works so well.”

Visitors can use the Insight Index to find all the products, components, services and suppliers they need. From window manufacturers to suppliers of architectural ironmongery or silicone sealants.  The Index is aimed squarely at the window, door, conservatory, building plastics and glass and glazing industry including installers, fabricators, glazing contractors and industry-specific buyers.

Suppliers can showcase their products on the Index and provide valuable information and PDF downloads, ranging from sales literature to technical data sheets and case studies.

A nationwide marketing campaign has been launched to promote the Insight Index including extensive press advertising, online marketing and a major direct mail campaign that targets every fabricator, installer and glazing contractor in the UK.

Insight Data also has the largest email database in the industry, with 40,000 contacts updated daily by the firm’s own research team and this will form part of a monthly email broadcast promoting the Index.

“We also want to help raise awareness of fenestration and glazing products across the wider construction industry so one of our key marketing drivers is to promote the Insight Index to architects, specifiers, builders, developers, main contractors and house-builders” adds Helen.

Insight Data has put substantial resources behind the Insight Index and believes the Industry needs a central information hub, however the company is under no illusions it will happen overnight as Helen explains:

“We had the inspiration for a product finder when we exhibited at Glassex in late 2010. After considerable research this evolved into a full search engine and window industry supplier directory.  Like any new technology or innovation The Index will take time to establish and it will develop and evolve to meet the needs of the market. We want to encourage those forward-thinking suppliers and business leaders in the window, door, conservatory and glass industry to get involved and showcase their companies and products.”

For further information about the Insight Index visit the website at: http://www.insightindex.co.uk or call Insight Data on 01934 808293. You can also follow the Insight Index on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/insightindex

The G10 Awards Presentation & Gala Dinner took place in December at Wembley stadium, an event that recognizes excellence in what has become an important fixture in the annual calendar for the glass and glazing sector.

The management team from Insight Data attended to support the G10 event and was delighted to discover that 50% of the winners use Insight’s Salestracker database of window, door, and conservatory fabricators and installers.

The Marketing Campaign of the Year (trade) was scooped by long-standing Insight Data customer Edgetech for their Journey to C event that helped educate the glazing industry on Window Energy Ratings, while Fabricator of the Year went to Lister Trade Frames for a second year.

Lister’s Managing Director, Mark Warren comments: “As a company we’ve grown 15% in the last year, which is no mean feat given the current economy. An integral part of our growth was the decision to significantly step-up our marketing and invest in a quality prospect database system. We’ve been using Salestracker now since 2009 and it has transformed the way Lister’s approach sales and marketing activity.”

Solaglas picked up the Component Supplier of the Year. Matthew Kirby, Marketing Manager said; “Insight Data’s passion for quality and innovation is clear to see. We use Salestracker almost every day and their ‘can do’ attitude to customer support is outstanding.”

Innovation was a theme throughout the awards and another winner on the night, Matthew Glover of the Conservatory Outlet said; “Innovation and technology are essential elements of our business strategy, so working with Insight Data is a natural synergy for Conservatory Outlet”.

High profile fabricator Everglade Windows is another Insight Data customer who picked up an award, while WHS Halo, the only systems company to win, is an avid user of several Insight databases including window and door fabricators, installers, and the architects database.

“The Awards are an opportunity for the window industry to come together and recognize those companies at the very forefront of our industry” commented Insight Data’s Managing Director Andrew Scott; “Both the winners and finalists clearly demonstrated a professionalism and passion that sets the benchmark and helps create a better industry, and we are honoured to be working with so many industry leaders.”

The event was sponsored by a number of well known organisations in the glazing industry including the GGF (Glass and Glazing Federation), Spectus Window Systems, Stuga Machinery, Fensa, Synseal, Pilkington Glass, Bohle, and Edgetech, amongst others.

For more information on any of the Insight databases visit www.insightdata.co.uk or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/insightdata