Professional Builder carries the day's biggest signal: British Gypsum has closed a long-standing gap in UK fire safety guidance by publishing tested best practice for fire-rated junctions, the interfaces between building elements that have never had a formal testing standard of their own. Alongside that, it's a strong day for product launches aimed squarely at trade practicality: a compact Knipex cutter for tight electrical work, a safer Werner access tower, a lighter van roof rack, and a new way to fund plant purchases.
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Top Stories
British Gypsum publishes fire-rated junction best practice guidance
British Gypsum has released a new guide covering fire-rated junctions in GypWall systems, following a year-long R&D programme and full-scale fire testing at internal corners, T-junctions, partition-to-column interfaces, offset beams and ceiling junctions. Individual elements like partitions and fire doors must be tested, but there has never been a legal requirement or established standard for testing how they interface with each other. The guide is free to download from British Gypsum.
Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
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Knipex launches Slim Knips for tight-space wire and cable tie cutting
Knipex has introduced the Slim Knips, a compact cutting plier (78 03 150 / 78 61 150 V01) designed for precise cuts inside consumer units, trunking and cramped panels. A micro-offset cutting edge handles both solid and fine-stranded copper conductors, and an integrated lock doubles as a stop for tightening cable ties without shearing them mid-tension. An optional holster (78 09 LE) is available separately.
Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
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Werner adds rung bumpers to Telescopic Tower to cut trapped-finger risk
Werner has updated its Telescopic Tower with integrated rung bumpers that add spacing between rungs during assembly, aimed at reducing pinched and trapped fingers. The tower erects in around three minutes, comes in five platform heights from 1.1m to 2.0m, and reaches a working height of up to four metres.
Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
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Rhino launches KammEdge, its lightest van roof rack yet
Rhino Products has launched the KammEdge, a premium roof rack that's around 15% lighter than the existing KammRack, with a lower profile and Kamm-shaped crossbars designed to cut drag and wind noise. Aluminium construction, a full-width rear roller and click-together side frames are aimed at single-person fitting.
Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
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Also in Brief
- CPF launches PlantFlex flexible plant funding: Construction Plant Finance has launched a PCP-style funding option for new plant equipment, letting buyers close out the agreement by paying a final lump sum, handing the machine back, or rolling equity into a new purchase. Usable against any brand of new equipment. Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
- Wooden Windows launches online DoorBuilder configurator: A new online tool lets installers spec bespoke timber doors with instant visuals and real-time pricing, following the same model as sister brand StairBox's staircase configurator. Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
- Freefoam publishes EPDs for PVC rainwater and roofline products: Three new Environmental Product Declarations cover PVC downpipes, gutter and fascia/soffit/trim ranges, giving specifiers verified carbon data instead of generic industry averages. Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
- Bunker expands Van Storage collection: Three new additions to Bunker's tool security range for vans, building on the same reinforced, weatherproof approach as the existing range. See our Bunker tool chest review for the deeper value case. Source: Professional Builder | Full piece
- Drill bits buying guide (already covered): ITS Hub's guide to choosing drill bits by material was already written up as a standalone guide on 5 August; see Drill Bits Buying Guide rather than a repeat piece.
- MacBlair mental health research (already covered): The Northern Ireland "How's the Head" survey finding that 92% of tradespeople value a quick daily chat has already had standalone coverage this week; see MacBlair mental health research.
- Milwaukee cordless fastening range, Makita workwear, battery transport guidance: These are Milwaukee's, Makita's and Makita's respective evergreen product/support pages resurfacing in today's pack with no new information. All three already have standalone guides in this project (Milwaukee impact drivers, impact wrenches and battery/charger kits from 9 August; Makita workwear guides from June; battery transport safety guide from July), so no new pieces needed today.
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Watchlist
- British Gypsum's fire-rated junction guidance may prompt other plasterboard manufacturers to publish comparable testing, worth tracking across the sector.
- Wooden Windows' DoorBuilder tool: watch for confirmed delivery times and whether other bespoke joinery suppliers follow with their own configurators.
- CPF's PlantFlex: worth a follow-up once real-world example pricing and eligible equipment lists are published.
- Bunker Van Storage: full specs/pricing for the three new additions weren't available in source material; revisit once published.
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