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The number of PVCu window and door fabricators operating within the UK has seen a steady decline over the last few years and with it the emergence of the ‘super’ fabricator. Nevertheless, the number of window and door installation businesses has increased, with a surge in small installation businesses. However, Selecta Systems Sales Director, Andy Green, has seen a change in this pattern emerge over the last couple of years or so, as he explains.
We’ve all had to adapt in some way within our personal and business lives over the last 12 months, as we were all confronted with the damaging and heart-breaking effects of a global pandemic. From our industry point of view, we have prospered heavily with a newfound boom in the home improvement market. This in turn has generated its own issues, with our industries supply chain coming under severe pressure, owing to the increase in demand and the knock-on effects of the pandemic and Brexit.
Although recent times have been good, from a business perspective, there have been some high-profile casualties within our industry over the course of the last 12 months. There have been large trade fabricators and profile systems suppliers whose business models were insufficient to see them through these times. Casualties like these have increased the pressure on the supply chain as the home improvement boom continues.
What is interesting is that Selecta have seen an increase in both installers and new businesses moving into fabrication, with the clear reasoning from installers being, to ‘take back control’ of their business, whilst others have seen it as an opportunity to benefit from the increased interest in consumer demand.
The rationale behind this ‘taking back control’ spate has been clear and concise. Installers have recognised that ‘buying in’ manufactured products removes control over the fabrication, quality and service provided by the trade supplier and any vendor failings can significantly affect their installation businesses reputation. Being almost at the end of the supply chain has had its issues and so taking out the ‘middleman’ has been seen as a positive step forward for some.
We appreciate that in these times there has been increased pressures on delivery timescales, but these time and resource pressures can also extend to poorly and incorrectly fabricated products causing installation headaches of which they have no control over. These have damaging knock on effects to their installation business, not only their reputation, but also on the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations.
There’s nothing worse for installers than booking in a job, their customer having time off work and then having issues where the product hasn’t arrived or damaged during transit or when there are mechanical and fabrication problems, when fitting on site. There are certainly issues that may not be able to be resolved by the installation company, whereas it is seen that if they were fabricating, they have the opportunity to apply their own corrective actions. More importantly they see having greater control over what goes out the door and when as a key factor in moving in to fabrication. As for manufacturing and delivery timescales, the philosophy seems to be why wait when you can fabricate?
I’m not saying this is the case everywhere for trade fabrication companies, as there are a lot of quality fabricators businesses providing a first-class service, but we have certainly seen an increase in installers wanting to be in control of their own destiny. We have also seen an increase in other construction-based businesses looking at diversifying their businesses and start fabricating. Selecta have a strong and successful history of setting up fabricators and fabrication facilities from scratch and assisting in all aspects of the process from layout and floor plan design to full blown training, with your own personal technician making the transition as smooth as possible.
Window and Door Fabricators
Whether you’re a fabricator or installer, our aim at Selecta is always to provide a service and support package that suits everyone, from sales to delivery, technical to marketing. We have an extensive range of retail and trade-based marketing brochures, literature and sales videos, whilst providing a free to use graphic design service for all your branding and marketing material requirements.
There is further back up from our four strong team of technical engineers, whom have a wealth of industry fabrication and installation experience and provide a personal and first-rate technical support service for you and your business.
With the Advance 70 System now firmly recognised as one of the leading and most versatile window and door profile systems, whether you are fabricating, installing or both, you can be sure of a quality and comprehensive range of window and door solutions at your disposal. It is vitally important whether you’re a fabricator, installer or both that you have, not only the right window and door profile system, but also the right supplier that can service and support you and your business during the good and bad times. This I believe is essential in building a successful business partnership. That’s why fabricators are choosing our Advance 70 System and Selecta, as they become #partofthefamily
