The HS horizontal sliding window from AluK's aluminium system is providing a premier solution at Southend United Football Club. Twenty HS windows in a gleaming white powder paint finish have recently replaced double glazed units in timber frames in hospitality boxes at The Blues? Roots Hall ground.

Southend United opted for a three-panel design from the HS range, with a sliding centre panel which is operated from the inside for safety and security. The new windows had to be fixed at a 15o pitch to maintain the original aesthetics and features of the Stadium and provide enhanced visibility through the glass without reflections.

The original fenestration also offered no ventilation. Now the large central panel in the new windows can be slid open to let in fresh air and the sounds from the pitch and terraces, so giving spectators in the boxes a chance to capture the full atmosphere of a game. Each double glazed window is 3.5m wide by 1m high and is fitted with toughened anti-sun glass to reflect excess summer glare and provide a clear view of the match.

The HS window is a relatively recent addition to AluK's aluminium range and is a thermally broken system to combat heat loss and reduce condensation. It is fully compliant with Document L and has a neat, slim appearance. The development is based on AluK's proven patio door system, thus enabling fabricators to manufacture two product lines from essentially the same stock of profiles.

In addition to the three-panel option installed at Southend United, the HS is available in two- and four-panel versions. All variants incorporate a night vent built into the top of the inner sliding leaves and each panel slides and locks independently for optimum security. The HS window can be supplied in white, silver, brown or black as standard, plus special colours to order on very short lead times. A comprehensive range of ancillaries to allow easy coupling to other products in the range is also available.