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With over 30 years of service with Selecta Systems, Sales Director Andy Green, talks about Selecta turning 40 and how they’ve grown and evolved in to one of the leading systems companies – born in 82, stronger in 22!
Forty years on and Selecta Systems remain independently owned by the same family who started the business way back in 1982. All be it that we are indeed forty years down the line, the strong original business values and ethos remain firmly rooted within the business. Success has been based on a number of simplistic principles and beliefs that have certainly served the business remarkably well over the years.
Flexibility, personal customer care, service and support combined with fabricator friendly profile systems, continue to be key aspects of the Selecta philosophy. These continue to be the core unique features of Selecta, when compared to our competitors of whom many are part of larger groups, investors and shareholders. This systems company uniqueness ensures that Selecta have continued to have a strong, distinctive and individual place within the market when compared with the competition, with a very loyal customer base, backed up by a strong, experienced and longstanding Selecta team – or family as we like to be referred to as!
Today, Selecta are in a very strong position on the back of a record year in 2021, with a solid start to 2022 and year on year monthly figures again on the increase. This is even more rewarding when you consider that we’ve had a couple of years that have been fraught by supply chain issues and rising costs. These last few years have certainly been challenging, yet prosperous for many involved in our industry. However, with consumer demand at levels not seen for many years, it has pushed many of a business to their limits and beyond.
Indeed, Selecta have been caught up in the torment of supply chain issues and our supply from stock business methodology, rather than to order, has been well and truly pushed to its limits. Nevertheless, I believe we came out of this far more quickly and respectfully than the majority in the industry. In-turn this experience has helped to make us stronger, more focused and determined to continue to provide not just a quality range of products, but also a first-class service and personal support package to our customers.
To top it off, we have recently been crowned winners of PVC Company 2021 at the National Fenestration Awards and we are extremely proud to have been recognised by our industry peers for our achievements, especially after what has been a demanding few years.
During all of this time, we have continued to be transparent and upfront with customers on day-to-day operations, stocks, pricing matters and surcharges. We welcome the time when the market steadies, as many of you do, and prices start to fall so we can pass on those savings to our customers.
This exponential growth has seen Selecta hit our projected 5-year growth forecast in just over 12 months! What this has meant to the business, is that we have had to bring forward a majority of our original expansion plans. Prior to the pandemic, we were already on a high and exceeding targets, but no one could have forecast or planned for the boom we have all experienced.
Progress has already been made across the whole of the business and there have already been a number of investments in our infrastructure and logistics, which has included new upgraded plant and machinery, extrusion machines, material storage silos, HGV delivery vehicles, profile foiling machines, staff recruitment and business restructuring. There are further plans afoot for this year and beyond.
From experience and listening to people within the industry, it has also been very clear that customer service, support and care is as important as ever, irrespective of how good a products qualities are. Investment in these areas are key, to not only maintaining existing business, but also attracting future business once the market becomes more competitive. That’s why we have some very exciting plans well underway to stay ‘connected’ with our customers in 2022 and beyond. We are confident in taking our service and support package to a completely new level by developing and enhancing the whole customer experience.
What we have experienced is huge growth across our whole product range, with demand for flush sash windows becoming more popular than ever. There also seems to be a huge resurgence in patio doors as homeowners look at ways to open up their home to the outside. Standard white profiles are still outselling coloured profiles. However, increases in demand for coloured profiles has certainly increased with almost 40% of all profile sales now credited to colour, albeit mostly attributing to Anthracite Grey!
We believe the success over the last few years is down to our original, longstanding values and ethos. The business is constantly developing, but has not forgotten its roots. There is a newfound confidence in the Selecta and Advance 70 brands with existing customers continuing to grow their businesses and larger fabricators making the change. We’re extremely proud to reach the milestone of being able to celebrate our 40th anniversary and welcome you to our stand, K60, at the FIT Show on May 10 – 12th to have a celebratory drink with us. No hard sell. Just a big thank you to everyone who is, may become or has been #partofthefamily
