Blog

The idea of brick and mortar stores in a digital age is something which seems a bit archaic. You only need to look at the major decline in the UK of the high street. Closed buildings up and down every major town and city. Even in the US, all the major department store chains are shutting down stores all over the country as footfall falls and online sales rise. It becomes a drain on finances to keep these places open.

Yet, in the face of this digital onslaught, the recent Insight Data industry report has revealed that more and more installers are opting to build new showrooms. In fact in the past three years there have been more than 300 new showrooms built:

We all know how fantastic (in the main) the internet has been for our industry. Never has the public been so informed and educated about our industry and it’s products. But I think there was a fear not too long ago that the internet could derail the more physical side of our industry. These figures suggest not, and point to an industry investing strongly in physical display space to draw in home owners.

Creating the wow factor

Although the internet and digital platforms give installers a great many tools in which to market themselves to home owners, it can never really give you that awesome “feel-in-the-hand” experience.

That is where more and more installers are turning to showrooms as a way to create the wow factor for home owners who come in to visit them. It really does work.

I bought a new car the other week from Audi. They told me that they spent a whopping £8m on their showroom, and you could see why. It’s pretty much a glass box with very thin aluminium curtain walled frames. All the signage is clean in brushed metals. The floor inside is a smooth, shiny, high quality tile. There is a cafe inside in the showroom. TVs on the walls whilst you wait. The toilets could be from a 7-star hotel in Dubai. Some of the sexiest models are displayed proudly in the centre. There is a special “handing over” room in the back where people go to have their new car unveiled to them. There is a service department reminiscent to something you would see in the early Iron Man movies. It all combines to create a luxury, special kind of customer service experience. You know you’re going to buy an expensive car, but you leave feeling like it is money very well spent.

That is something that I hope plenty of installers are shooting for when focusing on their own showrooms. I think many are. I think many understand that a showroom can be such a visually powerful, persuading tool, and when executed right, will almost always result in the home owner giving you their business.

We have recently revamped our own showroom this year to try and replicate some of that high-end feel.

We painted, replaced the carpets, plastered walls, installed new lighting, put TV screens up, a motif on the wall and a whole host of brand new window and door products, kindly provided by our suppliers; John Fredericks, Roseview Windows, Solidor, Evolution, Brisant and Adria Glass. We have tried, in as neat and organised way possible, to show our customer’s as much of what we do, whilst trying to keep the space clean, modern and to demonstrate that “high end” feel. Feedback from our customers has been positive so far.

This is where a well designed, high quality showroom becomes an installer’s best friend. But a showroom has to form part of a wider, more coordinated marketing strategy.

Combined strategy

There is no doubting how powerful a quality showroom can be for an installer. And showrooms will remain relevant for us all in the years to come. As with all big ticket home improvement purchases, such as kitchens, bathrooms and of course windows and doors, many home owners spending lots of money still want to see and feel the products in their hands. It’s reassuring for them, and gives them a much better idea of what is and isn’t possible for them.

Still, a showroom only forms part of a wider marketing strategy, which must combine with other factors to help create a coordinated, smooth and connected marketing plan for any window and door installer.

For example, using social media and websites to not only promote the products and services an installer has, but to also encourage potential customers to visit the showroom. In my experience I have found that most of the customers we get into the showroom eventually sign up with us. Many have also researched us online, and have then chosen to come in and see our products up close. This is how using both main sales tools together can create a stronger pull for home owners.

I see the number of showrooms increasing in the next three years also, but perhaps at a slower pace as the predicted slowdown halts investment.

Brisant Secure has been nominated for Best Hardware Company in the National Fenestration Awards. The company has seen the hugely successful launch of Ultion, its flagship lock which has taken cylinder door locks to a whole new level. Ultion comes with Sold Secure Diamond, Secured by Design and BSI kite marked TS007 3 star and has helped create a premium market for locks that provide real-life security. It also comes with a unique £1,000 guarantee against break-ins.  

Nick Dutton, CEO of Brisant Secure, comments: “It’s been an incredible journey since we started Ultion. Everything we do is designed to help composite door manufacturers and installers sell more doors – and the successes have been brilliant. We’ve built on the launch of Ultion and earlier this year we introduced Lock Lock, our new high security handle. Being nominated for an NFA Award is a great acknowledgement of how far we’ve come.”

Other initiatives such as Keycap and Keyring were launched in 2017, enabling homeowners to personalise their keys and to locate and ‘call’ them using TrackR technology, linked to their smartphone. Coupled with the Ultion lock, these help provide homes with real-security against real-life attacks. In fact, Ultion has even been captured on video defeating a real burglary attempt. 

More tools designed to help Brisant customers sell include:

• A homeowner database of 26,000 people
• The ‘Find A Door That Locks’ feature which locates fabricators, installers, and locksmiths based on a postcode search. This was used 13,562 times in the last 12 months. The Ultion website now has an annual total of 140,000 unique visitors. And in 2017 the videos on the site were viewed 88,307 times.
• Access to national crime statistics and a crime-checker which allows homeowners to see crime rates in their area in the last six months

To watch a short video of why Brisant says you should vote for them, visit www.brisant-secure.com/latest-news. 

To vote for Brisant, go to www.fenestrationawards.co.uk/hardware-company-2017. 

Call 01924 410 200, visit www.ultion-lock.co.uk or follow @UltionLock on Twitter.

When Jake Hodgkinson started as an apprentice at Bennett Architectural in June 2015, he didn’t expect to 18 months later be a Supervisor of the Manufacturing team.

Jake’s role as a Fabricator is a vital cog in the Bennetts machine as he has a hands-on role once projects are passed to his team to begin. 

The 22-year-old studied through PM Training to attain an NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Performing Manufacturing operations when he first started and has since undertaken a NVQ Level 3 in Glass Installation. With his role as a Supervisor he is also planning to undertake a Team Leading course soon.

Jake also works with our Processing team to ensure design drawings are ready to start the fabrication process. Some of the jobs Jake has had a real influence on include projects at Aldi Headquarter offices in Atherstone and ABCAM Bio-Medical Campus, which is set to be one of the biggest jobs the company has ever been involved in.

Part of the work on the ABCAM project required Jake and senior members of the team to put together a mock up window that could be impact tested off-site.

Jake Hodgkinson commented,

“I saw an internal vacancy for a Supervisor in the Manufacturing team and felt like I wanted that extra responsibility after learning on the job since starting as an apprentice.

“I’m finding it very rewarding to pass on my knowledge to newer members of the team and people who have started as apprentices with Bennetts.”

“As a Supervisor, once a job is coming to a finish I am already looking at drawings for our next project to ensure we can start the work on time.”

Rob Derricott, Production Manager added,

“Jake has progressed exceptionally well in the short time he has been with the company, his dedication and integrity made him an ideal candidate for the role, he is very knowledgeable and is developing our apprentices to a high standard. 

“We will continue to support Jake with opportunities in career development and we look forward to working with him for many years to come.”

Image Above: A landmark anniversary of a partnership dating back to 1962 is celebrated by hardware distributor
Carl F Groupco and renowned German lock manufacturer, FUHR.

A 55 year partnership is celebrated by hardware distributor Carl F Groupco and renowned German lock manufacturer, FUHR. The company, then Groupco, was the original distributor of FUHR products in the UK and, after significant growth, Carl F Groupco is now FUHR’s largest single customer worldwide.

The collaboration between the two companies dates back to 1962 and, from the earliest days, FUHR’s extensive range of locking solutions have been flagship lines in the Carl F Groupco catalogue. Six FUHR products are currently featured in Carl F Groupco’s top 10 best seller list: the biggest selling line overall is the FUHR 856 Type 3 door lock.

Endorsing the partnership, FUHR’s Managing Director and owner, Andreas Fuhr said:

“We value our relationship with Carl F Groupco extremely highly. The strength of the partnership comes from our shared values and history – we look forward to continuing to work with the team to supply our traditional markets and expand into new sectors such as Smart Tech.”

Carl F Groupco’s Managing Director John Crittenden expanded on the significance of the relationship:

“We have grown with FUHR to increase our offer from standard mechanical locks to the fully motorised 881 multipoint lock. FUHR is an important partner to us for a number of reasons including product quality, innovation and service commitment. Support also plays a key role and training is extensive – our entire sales team has visited FUHR’s German headquarters to gain a deep understanding of product features, benefits and how to make a lock.”

An extensive range of FUHR products is offered by Carl F Groupco including hardware that caters for all major aluminium systems. The FUHR multitronic fully motorised multipoint lock plays a pivotal role in Carl F Groupco’s pioneering SmartSecure electronic door locking and Smart access control brand.

Everglade Windows’ position as one of the top 75 fabricators/installers in a recent industry report confirms that they are the perfect supplier for installers in London & the South East. 

With 37 years of window and door manufacturing experience and award-winning customer service, the family business has grown to be the best fabricator in London, says the company.

“Customers are at the heart of everything we do” explains Jay Patel, Sales & Marketing Director at Everglade Windows. “It’s our job to create opportunities for our customers by offering the latest products, backed by technical expertise and the greatest customer care.

“We understand the challenges facing installers and we develop our products and services to make their lives easier, with trend-setting products, the latest manufacturing technology and security of supply.”

The recent report by Insight Data named Everglade Windows in the top 75 fabricators/installers out of 15,099 companies – and the only one in London.

Everglade Windows is one of the largest trade fabricators in the South East, offering the biggest range of Kömmerling PVCu windows and doors, a host of composite door options and a market leading aluminium range that includes the exclusive aïr brand.

Yogesh Gopal, Managing Director adds: “We wouldn’t have made this top 75 or be the successful fabricator we are today without our legendary customers and supplier partnerships and this is a great opportunity to say a big thank you to you all.”

www.everglade.co.uk 

Customers have applauded Glazerite for another spectacular Race Day where racegoers helped to raise over £550 for a charity devoted to giving gift bags to cancer patients.

More than 150 guests attended the event at Wolverhampton Racecourse, which included a three-course dinner and evening entertainment, with some travelling from as far away as Aberdeen and the Isle of Man.

“We have a fair trek to get to the Glazerite Race Day but it has always been worth it,” said Andy Cadman, Trade Sales Director for Thistle Windows, “It’s a fantastic evening for us all and a great deal of money was raised for a worthy charity. We really appreciate that Glazerite continue to hold the event every year, especially whilst budgets generally continue to be under a lot of scrutiny.”

Despite the event historically being held on a Friday, this year Glazerite chose to break with tradition, as Director Jason Thompson explained: “We decided to test the water and host the event on a Saturday which allowed our installers to relax without losing a day out of the working week. Everyone had a great time and the move was very well received. It was a pleasure to see so many Glazerite installer partners and staff getting together, strengthening relationships and putting faces to names.”

There were both losses and wins on the horses, with Shane Howells, owner of Shane Howells Ltd, being one of the lucky installers. He commented: “What a fantastic night with great friends. The win made it extra special and we can’t wait to see what Glazerite have in store for us next year”.

The biggest handover of the evening, however, was £552 to The Lewis Foundation, a charity who organise weekend visits to Northamptonshire hospitals to give cancer patients a choice of gift bags to brighten their stay.

Group Marketing Manager, Michelle Wright said: “Whilst visiting a friend in hospital I came across them when their volunteers brought my friend in a gift bag to cheer her up. Since then I’ve followed them and have been amazed by the work they do. We raised a fantastic amount on the night due to everyone’s generosity and the charity were delighted at the prospect of being able to help so many more patients with the donation.  It’s definitely a charity worth checking out, they’re very active on social media.”

A selection of photos from the event can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1JAW3leEew&list=PLpaGQ3pjJv9dIh4_NvrT0RjV45lEI-t5J

The Glazerite UK Group is VEKA’s largest trade fabricator in the UK and a long-standing Network VEKA member. It offers a fully nationwide service based on manufacturing units in Northants, Peterborough and Greater Manchester as well as its South West distribution hub in Bristol serving South Wales and The West of England.

Contech Conservatories has developed a reputation for quality and reliability with a broad range that ensures homeowners can renovate and expand their homes, in ways that will add value. The range includes additional ancillary products including composite doors, skylights, lantern roofs and aluminium windows and bifold doors that will enhance all property types.

The quality standards associated with the Contech Conservatories brand has enabled cus-tomers to grow their own businesses. Consequently, enquiries have increased substan-tially for customers recently, who have found homeowners are looking to extend or im-prove existing conservatories to add value to their homes.

As one of K2’s fabricators, the Staffordshire based company has seen a recent increase in demand for energy-efficient glass roofing products, as consumers look to spend more time in their conservatories all year round. With a broad selection of products in the Contech Conservatories range, making luxurious statements is now possible on all sized budgets.

In an economic climate that is currently very uncertain, with BREXIT looming, it is evi-dent the consumer is looking to invest in products that will bring a number of benefits including energy efficiency, performance and added value, all of which will help to keep energy bills to a minimum.

Supplying premium products has been the foundation upon which Contech Conservato-ries has established a leading market position, with conservatory roofs built on-site at the company’s premises in Longton. These then are delivered either direct to site or to busi-ness premises if preferred, providing customers with complete confidence in the finished installation.

As a quality engineered product the K2 brand has provided Contech Conservatories with huge advantages over competitors as the positive feedback, referrals and continuing sales have steadily increased.

Consumers repeatedly request high performance roof glass as a preferred choice in their conservatory installations, as the desire to use the space all year round becomes more widespread.

The popularity of the Contech Conservatories range is attributed to glass performance, aesthetics and word of mouth referrals which are further substantiating the corporate po-sition.

The company manufactures a wide range of bespoke options that are technically ad-vanced and stunningly attractive, which appeal to homeowners looking to add value and beauty to their homes. Being at the forefront of design and technology enables many var-ious styles to be manufactured according to customer specification.

The Contech Conservatories warranty also incorporates complete customer satisfaction with deliveries aimed at a 5 – 10 day turnaround.

Gareth Jones, Director at Contech Conservatories comments, “Many homeowners are quickly grasping the financial benefits provided by glass roof conservatory options. In-creasingly our customers are stating that consumers have heard about the benefits availa-ble from family and friends, and are looking to have something similar installed.”

Gareth concludes, “By offering innovative and alternative solutions, our customers are reaping the benefits as it is helping to re-energize their own businesses with demand steadily increasing.”

For more information on the entire range available from Contech Conservatories please call: 01782 593698.

As it steps up its campaign to encourage more trade buyers to add timber windows and doors to their product portfolios, Allan Brothers has invested around £200,000 in new precision machinery.

This is designed to enable the company to increase volumes and reduce lead times, whilst guaranteeing the craftsmanship and quality which has been its trademark since it was founded way back in 1811.

The showpiece of the investment is a twin bed SCM five axis CNC router with associated tooling, which has been installed at Allan Brothers’ Berwick upon Tweed factory. This is being used to profile all the products in Allan Brothers’ extensive timber door range, as well as the arched heads which are an option on its windows and doors.

The router replaces a single bed three axis machine which had been in place previously, and brings with it greater flexibility thanks to the five axes. It also offers faster throughput because the twin bed enables it to be tandem loaded, with one side being machined while the other side is being loaded or unloaded.

Allan Brothers says it has built its reputation on craftsmanship and attention to detail at every stage of the manufacturing process and the new machine looks set to strengthen that reputation, delivering market leading accuracy and precision.

Wolfgang Gorner, group sales director at Allan Brothers, said: “As a bespoke manufacturer, our priority was to choose a machine where the emphasis is on precision but also flexibility. With a five axis router like this, we can continue to offer customers a huge product range and the opportunity to personalise their doors however they choose, but we can also guarantee consistent quality and faster turnaround times.”

www.allanbrothers.co.uk/trade

The post 200K machinery investment at Allan Brothers appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

UK Construction Week closed its doors last week on its most successful outing in its three-year history, with a record 33,697 construction professionals attending over three days of business, networking, discussion and celebration.

The increased attendance represents an 11% increase year on year, proving, say the event’s organisers, that a large scale construction event for the whole sector is needed for this vital part of the UK economy.

UK Construction Week 2017 is said to have provided an opportunity for construction firms of all sizes to ‘gain competitive advantage, learn how to deal with Brexit, seize the advantages offered by modern methods of construction and tackle the skills shortage’.

With debates held in front of the nation’s media including BBC Breakfast, ITN, Sky News and regional news outlets during the week, the organisers ensured construction was ‘front and centre of national debate’.

Nathan Garnett, event director for UK Construction week commented: “This was a big year for UK Construction Week. It was only our third year, but to get an 11% uplift in attendees is a real stamp of approval that we are delivering the kind of innovative, forward thinking, national event that brings the whole sector together. It has proven itself as the place to meet and do business, and look at how we tackle the enormous challenges to come in the years ahead. It is also a massive celebration, with thousands of professionals attending a variety of awards over the three days.”

Mark Farmer, author of the landmark Modernise or Die report spoke at the event and said: “UK Construction Week brings together a massive cross section of the construction industry, so not to be here would be a lost opportunity.”

Plans are already well underway for the 2018 event, with a large amount of space reportedly already booked by exhibitors and a number of new features and events planned.

UK Construction Week 2018 is set to take place from 9 – 11 October.

www.ukconstructionweek.com

The post UK Construction Week reports record attendance appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Forty of Edgetech’s most valued customers are celebrating 10 years of working with the Coventry based warm edge expert.

As part of an event held earlier this year to mark a decade since Edgetech began manufacturing in the UK, the firm brought representatives from a number of long-standing customers to the stage to present them with a trophy commemorating their relationship.

A special video was also screened that saw sales & marketing director Alan Fielder and head of marketing, Charlotte Davies, interview some of those customers, and learn more about how working with Edgetech has helped their business.

“Our relationship with Edgetech has been hugely beneficial to us,” commented Ian Sims of Double R Glass. “In the 15 years we’ve been working with them, we’ve never once considered switching to an alternative spacer.”

David Laing of Cleartherm commented: “When I saw a fully-automated line using Super Spacer for the first time, I saw the future. This was in the US in 2006, and at the time we were still running a semi-automated line back home. After seeing that, it wasn’t long before we had a fully-automated line ourselves – and we’ve never looked back.”

Kevin Wheatman of Hurst Plastics commented: “Over the last decade, Edgetech has established itself and Super Spacer as market leaders – and that’s been a massive help to us as a business. Customers know and respect the Edgetech brand, and that means they have more confidence in our products as a result.”

Edgetech managing director Chris Alderson commented: “At Edgetech, we strive to build lasting, mutually supportive relationships with our customers – and we’re extremely proud that we can count so many successful businesses as loyal, long-term clients.

“It was fantastic to be able to celebrate those partnerships, and demonstrate our commitment to maintaining and deepening them in the years ahead.”

Watch the full customer interview video online on Edgetech’s website: www.edgetechig.co.uk/1815-2/

The post Fab 40 celebrate decade with Edgetech appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).