Voice Of The Industry

OF THE INDUSTRY VOICE

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

How has 2021 been for you and, more importantly, what are your hopes and wishes for 2022? Have you new products or services on the stocks and anything special to offer your customers, or prospective customers, in the New Year? Will you be seeing everyone at the FIT Show or do you have other plans to promote your company in 2022? Or perhaps you would just like to thank your customers for their loyalty and wish them a Happy Christmas and a great New Year….

Simon Monks Managing Director, VBH (GB) Ltd Mike Bygrave Roseview Windows, Director Michael Hewitt Sales Director, AT Precision Andrew Swift Head of Operations, UK and Ireland, ISO Chemie Phil Slinger CEO, CAB

2021 was a record breaking year for VBH. Happily, although VBH benefitted from the inflated market, as we all did, our successful 2021 wasn’t all down to boom.

The introduction of a host of new greenteQ products and new strategies have resulted in us serving more customers with more products. Crucially, new processes led us to achieve high efficiency levels with an average OTIF in the high 90s, despite the general issues of product supply. We go into our 40th anniversary year confident that when the bubble deflates we have put ourselves in a position to be able to thrive and continue to offer the best products and the best service.

By concentrating on lifestyle, security and smart products we capitalise on the desire for big ticket items such as bi-fold and lift/slide doors, smart access and the peace of mind that security guarantees such as our Q-secure consumer security guarantee and £2000 proteQ10 anti-snap cylinder guarantee can bring. Choose your 2022 products, suppliers and customers wisely. Happy New Year.

Global supply chain issues, labour shortages and extraordinary demand have combined to make this a challenging year – for everyone.

However, as the year draws to a close there have been plenty of positives to reflect on.

For Roseview, 2021 has been a year of investment and change. We doubled our factory space, invested heavily in new technology and software – including two new purpose-built machine centres – and started our journey towards closing the skills gap by taking on our first group of apprentices. We launched a completely new version of our top-end Ultimate Rose sash window, and even joined up with industry legend Leon Day to launch Team Roseview Kawasaki!

These changes will take time to truly pay off, but they’re coming, and they will make a difference. Roseview will emerge from the current situation fitter and stronger than ever before.

So with more to come in 2022 and the FIT Show fast approaching, there’s plenty for us to look forward to. On that note I’d like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and happy – and healthy – new year.

During a time when the industry has suffered huge issues across the supply chain, AT Precision managed to sustain a ‘business as usual’ service, maintaining a steady 99.9% OTIF score throughout 2021, along with a minimal 6% price increase on our products.

It’s all thanks to a combination of strong relationships with suppliers, a factory expansion, and the capacity to hold at least three months’ worth of stock at all times – all of which has contributed to an impressive 342% sales increase.

We’re expecting the industry’s boom in demand to continue into 2022, and with our highquality Everglide range of aluminium bi-fold hardware and our Everseal range of gaskets, we’re well equipped to keep our customers happy. We’ve recently added a range of plastic ancillaries to our product range, enabling our customers to source everything they need to manufacture a bi-fold directly from AT Precision. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their loyalty throughout the year. We wish them all a happy Christmas, and we look forward to seeing them at the FIT Show in May.

2021 has been the best ever trading year for foam sealant tape specialist ISO Chemie - sales are up 45% - and Andy Swift, sales and operations manager, says the modular construction market will be a key target for growth next year.

He sees the UK market staying buoyant over the next 12 months as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic and building and construction activity remains busy, particular in the face of a chronic national housing shortage and the need to build more affordable housing. This will see construction projects ‘surge’ and in the modular sector, house designers will increasingly look at new ways to deliver low carbon structures, which use sustainable technologies to deliver measurable airtight, acoustic and thermal sealing benefits. “Our ISO BLOCO range of sealant tapes and the WINFRAMER thermal insulating and load bearing bracket support system can add real value during the initial and post construction phases, so I expect to see more interest in these and other products in 2022 and beyond,” Andy Swift said.

Members of the Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) went through the ‘Great Reset’ in 2021. The aluminium in building supply chain continues to rebuild, despite many challenges. In 2022 the sector will see significant opportunities for growth, but it will be different, it has to be different.

I too, undertook a “reset” in 2021, joining CAB in March. During 2021 the CAB team has been evolving and developing further how we keep abreast of key trends, developments and growth areas to inform our members.

The drivers of change in 2022 will consider macro-economic, sociodemographic, technological factors, changing customer behaviours and the proposed UK Government regulations and targets. We will focus on explaining why aluminium in building matters, why the construction sector needs to change and how to approach the radical targets proposed. The reset has happened, UK government targets are far-reaching, status-quo is not an option. 2022 is for people in the industry to up the level of desire to change and drive through implementation of the required changes.

Martin Thurley Group Managing Director, Liniar

At the start of this year, I think most of us were relieved to have 2020 behind us and looking forward to a much more steady and consistent year. How wrong we were!

If nothing else, the last couple of years have made us more grateful – not only to be in an industry where demand has remained high, but also grateful for the people and communities around us. We continue to survive and thrive despite some of the most challenging times many of us have ever experienced. Liniar has many exciting plans in the pipeline for 2022, including new product launches, an additional new mixing plant and further large-scale site expansion plans that could see us increase our footprint by approximately 70%, taking us to almost 1 Million ft². Top of the list as always is customer service – our OTIF service levels have reduced from 99% to 96% due to global supply chain constraints beyond our control. We plan to increase stock by £2million by Jan 2022 which will help us return to our normal very high standards. We’d like to thank all Liniar fabricators and installers for their continued support, patience and understanding as we’ve navigated these stormy seas together. Make the most of the Christmas break and let’s all look forward to a more stable and successful 2022.

Heidi Sachs Managing Director, Modplan

2021 has been an astonishing year. We’ve seen incredible growth in the business and we’re delighted to be supporting a booming industry. Winning Conservatory Roof Manufacturer at the NFA Awards 2021 was a proud moment for us too.

At the same time, like everyone, we’re facing incredible pressures from multiple directions. We constantly review our processes to ensure we are doing everything we can to mitigate the challenges and support our customers so they can capitalise on the market opportunities. This year we’ve invested in new machinery to keep pace with the upturn. We’ve also opened a Customer Hub to maintain a transparent line of communication that keeps customers informed so they can manage their own businesses as effectively as possible and expanded our manufacturing facilities. Above all, we wouldn’t be where we are without the hard work and efforts of our staff.

As we look forward to 2022, we’re continuing to build. We’d like to thank our customers for their ongoing support and send our best Christmas wishes to all.

Ben Brocklesby MD, Origin

I would like to thank all of our Partners for their continued support throughout 2021. It has certainly been a challenging year, trying to navigate a global pandemic and the resulting economic uncertainties, as well as overcoming supply chain difficulties. Throughout this tricky time, we are proud to say that we have continued to innovate and invest in our operations to ensure that our Partners never miss an install date, demonstrating our commitment to their businesses.

We have done this by investing in a new 55,000sqft warehouse facility, the Ark, and £11m worth of stock to fill it, which has increased our capacity by over 80 percent. This has made our operations more efficient than ever before and means that we have continued to provide to our Partners, on time, in full, whilst others have struggled around us. Despite the challenges, we are excited by the possibilities that 2022 will bring. We know demand is rising at unprecedented levels and we have some exciting products in the pipeline that people won’t want to miss out on.

Dave Thomas Managing Director, Haffner

As the industry bounced back, we’ve been working hard to support our customers with rapid lead times on automated machinery. Our new purpose-built factory in Istanbul, Turkey allowed us to rapidly increase our manufacturing output and hold higher levels of stock than ever before, while new staff across the UK business helped us keep pace with demand.

We launched an exclusive supply partnership with Graf Synergy, which means we now offer the most comprehensive machine portfolio in the industry. The partnership has proved popular, with customers keen to offer the stateof-the-art in high end seamless welded products. We were proud to win Best Machinery Company at the NFA Awards 2021, an award that means a lot because it’s voted for by the industry. It was back-toback wins for us and we’ll be doing our best to make it three in a row next year! Looking forward, we can’t wait to see colleagues and customers in person again at the 2022 FIT Show – and unveil what will be the largest stand in the event’s history!

Tracey Jackson Howells Patent Glazing, Business Development Manager

2021 has been an interesting year and it has certainly not been boring!

Stock issues, price increases, utility crisis and a pandemic are but a few of the pressing issues that have been covered, but we have not only got through it but come out with new processes and a stronger focus. Resilience is the name of the game here and this is what we wish to take into the new year. Never ones to stand still, we have been busy innovating this past year and are looking to launch some new profiles in 2022. We are not exhibiting at The FIT Show but are hoping to be on a panel or two discussing this exciting and dynamic industry. This year, we have been extremely lucky to be surrounded by a great supply chain and customers and we would like to take this opportunity to wish them a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Barry Halpin National Sales Director, UAP Limited

2021 has been a momentous year for UAP because we have celebrated 25 years in business and continued to grow, supporting our customers, our team and the communities in which we operate.

Our focus has been on reliability of supply and product innovation for our customers, with continued investment in stockholding, new product development and product testing. During 2021, we have launched a number of industry-leading products, including the Fullex Kinetica+ K4 3* cylinder and Bio+ Key, which is impregnated with a biocide to provide protection against viruses and bacteria. We have also unveiled the TS 008 Soterian Slim, the most compact TS 008 letterplate available, with an internal projection of just 14mm; and the Milos 100 range of cylinders from Locking Systems. We wish all our customers in the glass and glazing sector a very prosperous year in 2022.

Jamie Munday Sales Director, Avantek Stuart Dantzic Managing Director, Caribbean Blinds Steve Cross Director, Mercury Glazing Ian Cowling Sales Director, Eco-Logic Roofing Systems John Park-Davies Managing Director, Vertik-Al James Keeling-Heane Sales Director, Senior Architectural Systems

2021 has certainly been the year of automation in our industry! Social distancing, illness and more recently recruitment issues (combined with the availability of Government grants) have led to more companies than ever before investing in machinery to automate their manufacturing processes – and Avantek Machinery has had a record year as a result.

We’ve had to deal with similar challenges to everyone else in the industry, the biggest of which has been shipping delays. We’re grateful to all our customers who have been patient and understanding when installation dates have been affected.

As we head into 2022, we already have a waiting list for our Supercut machining centres. We’re also speaking to more potential customers than ever, offering advice about factory layouts and machinery options to optimise capacity. The whole team at Avantek Machinery would like to wish everyone a restful Christmas break and a Happy New Year for 2022.

2021 has been the perfect storm – we have had increased demand for our outdoor living and solar shading products, experienced raw material shortages and everincreasing costs.

By keeping communication channels clear and open with our clients, we have managed expectations – we would like to thank all our clients from trade installers to the end user for their trust in us and understanding during these exceptional times. As a business we have invested heavily in our processes, including staffing, along with overstocking of raw materials to ensure that for the 2022 season, we can return to the normal short lead times our customers are used to, without affecting quality. Whilst there will inevitably be price increases next year, we hope our customers understand that these will be kept to a minimum and that we have, for the whole of 2021, been absorbing all cost increases to support our trade installers and help them grow their market share whilst also maintaining healthy margins.

Our portfolio of specialist, feature-rich products and commitment to high quality and efficient service deliver what today’s customers want. This is reflected in our sales and the year has been marked by huge business growth for us as we continued to execute our strategic growth plans. As part of our plans, we opened a second manufacturing centre and welcomed new members of the team to ensure we can maintain our momentum and deliver excellence to our customers.

Like everyone in the industry we faced challenges in managing supply issues. The fact we achieved our growth plans despite these difficulties is due to the hard work of our staff and the loyalty of our customers. We’d like to thank everyone for their continued support. 2022 is already shaping up well with a large pipeline of secured contracts as we help our customers capitalise on the busy market.

We send best wishes to all in the industry for a happy, healthy Christmas and a prosperous 2022.

This year has seen demand for our revolutionary all-timber Warm Roof Pro conservatory roof system continue to increase, and we have been consistently manufacturing 25-30 roofs a week to meet demand.

Using highly insulated SIPS to make it more thermally efficient, installers have quickly got on board with the roof’s simplicity, flexibility, and the ease and speed of installation. As our roofs are made of timber and SIPs, we have been fortunate not to be too affected by the supply chain issues many have. In 2022 we’re expecting our roof to come into its own even more due to it being able to achieve the new U-Value regulations and the fact that it doesn’t need an air vent.

We are also excited by our new breath-taking fullheight glazed roof panel system FENESTRA, which we are expecting to take flight. I’d like to thank our customers for their loyalty during the last 12 months and wish them a happy Christmas and New Year.

This year started with some notable events. Following the transition period, the UK finally left the EU after some 47 years and the third National lockdown was imposed on 6th January. Whatever your views or political colours, this was all rather unsettling, especially for the beginning of a new year.

And yet, thanks to the scientists and some very clever people, the vaccine has made 2021 a truly remarkable and historic year. Our plans for 2022 and beyond are the most ambitious in the history of the business. Despite current labour and material shortages, we are investing heavily in our people, plant and equipment across the group. In mid-January we will be unveiling the biggest investment we have ever made. This will enable us to maintain our leading position in the sector and give our customers a clear qualitative and competitive advantage. I wish you all a merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.

Our mission has always been to give our customers what they want, when they want it and although it’s fair to say there have been a number of challenges to overcome this last year, we’ve worked hard to reduce the impact of the wider industry issues that we have all faced.

We’ve also been ahead of the game in our preparations for Part L and the new energyefficiency targets thanks to our patented low U-value PURe® aluminium window system that has already become a tried and trusted solution with both our fabricator and specifier customers.

Looking ahead to 2022, we’re going to be working even closer with our customers to make sure they have the support, as well as the products, they need to be fully compliant and have a successful new year. We’re also getting set to unveil some exciting new improvements we’ve made to our showroom at our South Yorkshire HQ and we’re looking forward to inviting our customers to pay us a visit very soon.

Nick Cowley - Managing Director, Euramax Solutions Jeremy Phillips Chairman, CDW Systems’ Group Jon Palethorpe Joint Managing Director, A Plus Aluminium Angus Mackie Group Managing Director, Allumette Ltd Howard Trotter Business Manager, Shelforce John Crittenden Managing Director, Carl F Groupco Limited

Much like 2020 before it, 2021 has been an incredible year for Euramax despite the huge challenges posed by COVID.

By far the biggest development of the last twelve months has been the fact we were acquired by Modular Group Investments, a fast-growing and increasingly major presence in the off-site market.

Working closely with MGI CEO Michael Garratt, Euramax has made further inroads into Britain’s rapidly expanding modular construction market over the last year. We’ve also launched Euralite - a range of cladding and decking products that combines all the benefits of aluminium with the sought-after aesthetics of timber.

Suitable for commercial, construction and residential applications, the corrosion, stain and scratch-resistant products come in a comprehensive array of authentic wood effect finishes.

Euralite has already been used on a number of lucrative commercial projects, and we’re extremely optimistic about 2022!

Supply chain problems for certain products have of course been tough this year but working with our suppliers to make sure we are at the front of the queue and setting realistic expectations for customers has certainly been the name of the game.

Like many companies, the home improvement boom has seen us remain hugely busy and the new products we introduced in 2020 have really taken off this year, particularly Designer Doors.

While our order books are full going into the New Year, it will be interesting to see what things will be like in 2022 as people start to go on holiday and the cost of living rises, which is bound to affect order volumes.

With the government spending a lot on infrastructure we expect to benefit from that, so if domestic does fall back then commercial will hopefully pick up any shortfall. Having that flexibility between the two will stand us in good stead. I’d like to thank our customers for their loyalty during the last 12 months and wish them a Happy Christmas and New Year.

2021 has been a positive year for A Plus Aluminium, with sales far exceeding our forecast and expectation.

We have continued with planned strategic investments, increasing capacity and extending our reach. We’ve also invested in a new manufacturing facility which is enabling us to increase stock holding for the residential market and focus on reduced lead times for 2022. We are also ending the year with news of a UK sole distribution agreement which is incredibly exciting, it will bring something fresh to the fenestration market. We look forward to sharing news of our expansion and investment in the new year. There’s no denying that material shortages have been challenging but we have worked with our suppliers and customers to manage this. Fortunately, there’s an ‘all in this together’ mentality between A Plus and our customers, and I think we are stronger for it – in many ways the experience has cemented supplier/installer relations. With thanks to our customers and suppliers for their support and loyalty in 2021. Here’s to a rich and robust 2022. Merry Christmas everyone.

What a year 2021 has turned out to be. With 200 people on our 3.5-acre site, our priority was to keep all our team safe and maintain service levels. All this had to be done with minimum disruption while maintaining a laser focus on monies in and cash out. Business principals are everything, especially when the world has a wobble.

Our experienced, balanced team and strong financial position has served us well during a unique period. We have very high hopes for 2022. Our business is dynamic and with strong plans, our customer centric approach and appetite for quality and service we are very excited for what lies ahead. Investment is key to any manufacturing business, and we have invested in every area of our organisation and plan to continue our program of asset enhancements.

May 2022 bring you all the very best and we trust you have a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Despite the challenges the industry has faced we have had a fantastic 2021, thanks in no small part to our Fireshel 30-minure fire resistant door. From a standing start, we are now manufacturing 70 fire doors a week to cope with demand.

We have also had a tremendous year in terms of exposure, having been chosen by the producers of ITV’s Made In Britain to demonstrate how sustainable windows are produced and tell our unique story. And we were the proud winners of 2021 Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) Business of the Year, the Chamber’s Excellence for People Development award, and the Equality Trailblazer for the West Midlands at this year’s British Chamber of Business Awards, thanks in no small part to our commitment to equality and inclusivity in the workplace. Already, projections for fire doors are through the roof for 2022 for local authority projects and I would like to thank the fantastic team here for all their hard work, without which none of our success would be possible.

‘Unprecedented’ has been the buzz word for 2021, and for good reason... We have overcome many challenges including raw material price hikes, huge rises in container shipping costs, delivery dilemmas within the UK carrier network and Brexit.

Despite these challenges the industry continues to be buoyant and with reference to Carl F Groupco, orders remain higher than prepandemic levels. We have continued to invest during 2021 and will continue to do so next year to cement our position as one of the leading hardware distributors. We have just launched our biggest digital upgrade ever to our websites, bringing our three brands; Carl F Groupco, Carl F direct and SmartSecure under one umbrella website. Next year we will be releasing our next hardware catalogue edition, again set to be our largest product resource yet. I would like to thank our customers for their unwavering support over the past couple of years, we look forward to a positive and prosperous 2022 and wish all of your readers a very Merry Christmas.

Pete Temprell, Managing Director, Schüco UK & Ireland Ian Smith Business Development Manager, Vista Panels Andy Jones Commercial Director, Made for Trade John Ogilvie Director, Building Our Skills Shaun MacAllister Director, GQA Qualifications Mark Hickox Sales Director, Thermoseal Group Limited

It’s been an extraordinary year – it began in the midst of a lockdown and great uncertainty. Subsequently there have been economic challenges and material shortages that we’ve all endured. Nonetheless, we have worked closely with our partners to face the challenges.

Furthermore, we’ve continued to develop new products to futureproof the nation’s buildings to reduce the impact on the environment and safeguard people’s health. Effective thermal insulation will be crucial in our climate fight, and as the government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy highlighted, glazing is vital for this. Ventilation is also under the microscope, due to the pandemic and the upcoming changes to Part F in the building regulations under the wider changes of the Future Homes Standard.

We thank all our customers and partners through the value chain for their continued support and collaboration and look forward to a prosperous 2022.

There’s no denying it – 2021 has been a very challenging year for the glazing industry.

While it’s great that consumer demand for home improvement products has boomed since lockdown, the ‘perfect storm’ of material shortages, rising costs, a lack of labour and global shipping issues has made life very difficult for the whole supply chain. While many of the above factors are outside of our control, we have taken steps to minimise disruption as much as possible, including securing an additional 10,000 square foot unit to increase stockholding and better support our customers. While the new unit hasn’t solved all our problems, it has eased some difficulties and put the business in a better position for the future.

We’re fighting daily to maintain service levels and I would just like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their patience and support during this time. 2022 looks set to be another buoyant year for the industry and we will do everything in our power to ensure our customers maximise the opportunity.

Made for Trade like many companies has seen huge growth in 2021 against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, raw material price increases, labour shortages and supply chain challenges. No-one has been exempted from these issues, but true market leaders ensure that disruption to customers is limited to a minimum and we have managed through excellent management and communication to mitigate some of the pain from our valued customers. We will look back on 2021 as a year where under immense strain the key words will have been perseverance and agility both of which Made for Trade have in abundance.

In 2022 we will continue to invest heavily in our marketing at consumer level with our award winning Korniche lantern and look forward to fully launching our groundbreaking Korniche bi-fold door in early 2022 which we will be showcasing at the FIT Show in May We would like to thank our customers, suppliers and most of all our staff for their service and understanding over this past year and would like to wish everyone a happy holiday and look forward to welcoming in another fantastic year together for all concerned.

Despite all the challenges of 2021 Building Our Skills has continued to make headway in raising awareness of ‘fenestration’ with key partners in the outside world as we continue to try to find ways of bridging the skills gap affecting the industry.

We have formed partnerships with key players working with the MOD, the Ministry of Justice, and the education sector. We are currently working with a number of major Local Authorities in the UK that have access to significant numbers of young people and what we want to do is introduce them to employers in their local areas. This is going to be a major initiative for us in 2022, so please watch out for further details.

From the point of view of the industry, what we want now is for as many employers as possible to become supporters, and to actively participate in helping us to bring new talent to the industry. Let’s make a real difference in 2022.

I recently did an interview where I was asked how important qualifications are? My response was ‘very important.’ They are better for the individual, better for the employer and better for the customer.

Not only do they help to drive up standards in the fenestration industry generally, but they contribute to improvements in environmental impact, and health and safety. They also help to attract young people to the industry. We’ve got to be mindful how other industries attract young people through formalised training schemes and career paths carved out via qualifications. We’ve got to make the fenestration industry compete on this level.

Young people need to be able to see the availability of clear career paths to perceive the fenestration industry as an attractive career proposition. This is the message we will continue to push in 2022 working with employers to develop bespoke training programmes and qualifications to support the drive to raise standards and to attract new young talent.

The past 2 years have been a roller coaster with closures, supply issues and increasing costs, but the Window Industry still seems to be thriving through the pandemic.

In 2022, there are imminent changes to legislation which means that windows must achieve a minimum ‘B’ Window Energy Rating or a U-value of 1.4Wmk. With this in mind, we are anticipating greater demand for warm edge products. Therefore, we are planning to utilise more of the space in our new 2-acre Centre for Innovation and Manufacturing by further expanding our Thermobar and Thermoflex warm edge spacer production facilities. We are also looking forward to launching our new e-Commerce system so our customers will have 24/7 access to order our products online. If you’re going to the Glasstec exhibition in Dusseldorf, we will again host our ThermoBAR, so please give us a shout if you’d like us to add you to the guest list. Thanks to all those who have supported us. We wish you all the best for 2022 and beyond.

Andy Royle Co-Founder and Director, Leads 2 Trade Chris Alderson Edgetech, Managing Director David Thornton Chairman, The Window Company (Contracts) Dean Bradley Sales and Marketing Manager, Glazpart Ltd Bethaney Larkman Marketing Manager, Distinction Doors Keith Rimmer CEO, Thermocill

It’s fair to say that leads have been much easier to come by for installers in 2021 due to the demand for home improvements being at an all-time high and we saw the number of double glazing enquiries received through our numerous comparison websites rise by 40% from May to September.

While demand remains buoyant, some installers are reporting a definite shift to receiving fewer enquiries from their self-generated efforts, so we are expecting the demand for sales leads from installers to increase from the beginning of 2022. Many will have invested to meet the demand this year and will want to ensure that new business is there in the short to medium term so their current volumes can be maintained.

We expect our pre-arranged appointment lead service, which gives the installers the peace of mind that they only pay for the lead if they sit and pitch it to be attractive to save time and deliver an acceptable cost of sale.

Like millions of other businesses around the world, we’ve faced many obstacles in the 18 months since the pandemic changed all of our lives.

But I’m extremely proud that Edgetech’s commitment to outstanding customer service, technical excellence and constant innovation hasn’t wavered.

The incredible hard work and dedication of our fantastic team saw us through the months of lockdown, and to an even greater extent as we adjusted our business to the unprecedented demand in the period that followed. While we and every other business in the sector continue to have to deal with ongoing supply chain disruption, 2022 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in our history. I’m especially proud that despite the challenges of the pandemic, we’ve continued to invest heavily in health and safety, spending over £160,000 in improving our Coventry facility, take steps to ensure that none of our waste goes to landfill, and supported a number of extremely worthy local causes.

We’d like to thank all our customers and employees for their support in 2021.

When I look back at the comments I posted in last December’s Voice of the Industry, what leaps out is my hope that the spirit of cooperation and togetherness that the industry had shown during the worst of the pandemic wouldn’t be lost.

Overall, I don’t think it has, although I still don’t think there’s been enough acknowledgement of the fact that it is installers who have taken the biggest financial hit from stock shortages and ongoing price rises. That’s particularly acute in the commercial market of course, where prices are often fixed at the start of a contract.

However, we’re still looking ahead to 2022 with plenty of optimism. We will be continuing to push into the new build sector and, with PAS2030 accreditation under our belts, we hope to be able to access some of the funding streams being made available for fitting windows and doors as part of energy efficient upgrades in existing housing stock. Of course, we’ll also be visiting the FIT Show in May – we’ve all been away for far too long!

The last few years have been extraordinary for everyone in almost every conceivable way and it has only been down to the exceptional team at Glazpart working with a fantastic set of customers that we have got through this far…

The challenges will only continue with volatile supplychains, pandemic impacts and significant regulatory change which will impact all areas of the construction market including the fenestration sector. These, as always we will all take on in the same professional way. There will also be opportunities and we all need to focus on these as we hopefully head towards pre pandemic market levels and contribute towards the drive to achieve netzero by delivering the highest performing So, I would like to thank everyone involved in the sector and look forward to even meeting up in person next year as events return such as the Fitshow where we will see the fruits of investment across Glazpart to meet the challenges of 2022 and beyond. Merry Christmas

2022 is full of promise for Distinction Doors and our customers. We will start the year with one of several planned product launches, the introduction of a new nxtgen door style. Customer feedback during R&D was extremely positive so we’re excited to see and hear the reaction to this.

In support of our Lean manufacturing methods, we have invested in new machinery for our Barnsley site which is due for delivery next year. Once commissioned, we will be running one of the largest plants in the industry. It’s good to be able to look back at 2021 and see positives. Stock levels have been extremely healthy during this challenging year. Customers have also praised our business and service communications for its frequency and honesty. We wish to thank our customers for their continued loyalty and wish them, and readers of Glass News a very merry Christmas and a prosperous 2022!

2021 has been the year of carbon reduction, energy efficiency and Thermocill.

Wigan Council were the first to install our energy-saving window device across 2000 homes, and other councils and organisations now want to get in on the act! This could be because of our scientific verification. Or it could be due to our educational app tech. Most likely though, it’s because Thermocill simply works – it cuts household energy use by 14% and fuel bills by 8%. No longer will windows be the single biggest source of heat loss in a home – together as a sector, we have the solution. And it comes in the form of an affordable, passive device underneath a window sill.

Looking forward, 2022 will be the year for hemp – plans and testing are already underway for Thermocill to be made from it, and surely there’s huge potential for the sustainable material across the whole glazing and window profile sector.

Mark Walker Marketing & Design Manager, Selecta

There are many things to be said of 2021, with most already expressed over the last 12 months or so! Unprecedented, exponential and challenging are just three of the industries most used words in 2021, during a year where many have been less fortunate than ourselves with a loss of health and wealth, we as an industry have worked together, stood firm and delivered – albeit at times on longer terms!

As we head in to 2022, positivity, optimism and confidence are the three key words that are being expressed amongst the team within Selecta.

From a marketing support perspective, 2021 has seen Selecta broaden our focus on furthering our personal customer and marketing support package. Our flexible and engaging approach to providing a personalised marketing support package has been greeted with great positivity, with more customers than ever taking advantage of our free graphic design service for re-branding, logos, flyers and vehicle graphics. To support this even further, we have some very exciting plans well underway to stay ‘connected’ with our customers in 2022 and we are confident of taking our service and support package to a completely new level.

Andy Green Sales Director, Selecta

A year fraught by supply chain issues and rising costs, 2021 has certainly been a challenging, yet prosperous year for many involved in our industry. 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, but I believe we have come out of this far more quickly than the majority of the industry, in-turn making 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.

At the same time, we have grasped this opportunity with both hands to bring forward our expansion and growth plans with new silo’s, extrusion machines, lamination machine and delivery vehicles, coupled with a staff recruitment drive.

Winning PVC Company 2021 at the National Fenestration Awards has certainly put the icing on the cake, as we look back on a record year at Selecta, whilst looking forward to a positive 2022 and celebrating 40 years of helping fabricators grow their businesses.

Gary Morton CEO, Central Window Systems

With increased demand and a market plagued by supply chain issues, the past two years have been an interesting period for the glazing industry. At Central Window Systems, we’ve adapted the business to navigate the storm, and are looking forward to a promising new year.

We started off 2021 by merging our PVCu and aluminium divisions, offering a full solution service to installers.

The merger also allowed us to expand our manufacturing facility to 52,000 square feet, giving us the capacity to increase production, hold more stock, and cut our lead times to a minimum.

2021 was also the right time to branch out, which is why we decided to expand our aluminium division to better serve domestic installers, something we plan to take even further in the new year. There’s been a boom in the industry which we don’t see slowing down anytime soon, which is why we spent 2021 investing in the business, positioning Central as an expanding full-solution fabricator ready to face the challenges head on. We’d like to thank our loyal customers for their continued support, and we wish them all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Faisal Hussain Chief Executive, Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Service (DGCOS)

There’s little doubt that following the turbulence of recent years, a new world has emerged, bringing with it more transparent ways of doing business. This new ‘service economy’ is based on trust and integrity, something that lies at the heart of DGCOS. There is no longer space – or patience – for businesses who use smoke and mirrors. In 2022, transparency will be king. While we can’t ignore the challenges we’re all facing, including supply chain issues, inflation, an ailing labour model and fenestration’s lack of priority on the government’s Decarbonisation agenda, 2022 offers us the chance to tackle these issues collaboratively.

DGCOS has a new leadership that is heavily invested in creating a new proposition for window and door installers. 2022 will see the launch of our Installer Value Matrix, a powerful business support engine that will generate collaboration and create platforms for sustainable growth. DGCOS remains the industry’s consumer champion and we invite you to join us on the journey in 2022. Together we can move towards a more ethical, quality focused and inspired future.

Rob Brearley, Group MD, Glazerite UK Group

Like most industries, we continue to battle with gaps in the supply chain, lack of labour, and skill shortages whilst managing ever-increasing costs. These are beyond our control, and whether you are a manufacturer, an installer, or a fabricator, it’s a testing time. These conditions have challenged our business to change and look at what we do daily, allowing us the opportunity to focus on our planning, operations, service, and quality across the Group.

Over recent months, we’ve rolled out Lean Manufacturing, which is already resulting in some big benefits and improved performance. This approach will continue into 2022 and beyond. Communication has been a key part of the integration so that every employee understands the principles, what we are doing, and why. We’ve also recruited some fantastic new people to help us better support our customers and make us a stronger business going forward. We have some ambitious plans for the coming year, which will be driven by our strong, committed workforce and which will help us improve productivity, quality and fulfil the needs of our customers.

Gio Laporta Executive Director, Smart Ready

It’s important to acknowledge how frustrating this year has been for everyone. The ongoing supply chain issues have changed the landscape for all, forcing us to look deeply in how we operate. World shortage in chipsets has forced Smart Ready® technology partner Hug® to completely redesign smart window and door sensors, which in turn has caused delays across the board.

Despite this — or maybe even because of this as we all know innovation is born from need — Smart Ready® has had a positive 2021 for innovation. Deciding to pull out from Fit 2021 was undoubtable the most toughest decision. However, we are, as ever, really looking forward to being at FIT Show 2022 in May where we will be introducing something that will transform the way our industry functions, and bring it into the modern world.

Have a great Christmas and we hope that the time you spend with your loved ones is amazing and restful. See you all FIT 2022.

John Cooper Commercial Director, SWISSPACER UK & Ireland

I’d like to start off by wishing all SWISSPACER customers, colleagues and contacts a Merry Christmas and prosperous 2022.

For most of us 2021 has been very busy, thanks to the surge in home improvement which is driving demand across the board. The premium market in particular is booming as homeowners look to make their homes more energy efficient, attractive and convenient. For example, sales of SWISSPACER’s Georgian bar have skyrocketed because it helps improve the look and thermal performance of hugely popular heritagestyle windows. Most experts predict demand will remain high in 2022. With rising energy prices and the impact of COP26 fresh in everyone’s minds, energy efficiency will continue to be a top priority for homeowners. In this post-pandemic world the way people use their homes has changed with growing demand for home offices, garden rooms and outdoor living areas. We’ve certainly noticed strong interest in our range of glass canopy and balustrade systems as a way of enhancing gardens and patio areas, and we’re confident this trend will continue.

Phil Dewhurst Jr Commercial Director, Georgian Bar Company

Customer service is at the heart of The Georgian Bar Company’s success, and in amongst all the supply chain issues in the industry, we have given a top priority to our customers by doing our utmost to minimise the global supply backlog.

While the industry has seen huge price rises in 2021, we were keen for them not to affect long term prices so we added only a fair surcharge. We hope when the market stabilises that this can be reviewed industrywide. The export market continues to grow with increasing volumes to India. We also took time to hone the design of the clip for the US market. In November, I made my first trip to California for more than a year, and we secured significant orders for the new product line. It’s all in the clip! Happy our US cousins see that.

Back in Britain, 2022 will see the culmination of the development of a new and exciting product with a new launch partner due to be unveiled before FIT Show.

Phil Boyland Operations Director, MRA Marketing

After a very busy 2021 for MRA and our customers, we’re confident next year will bring even more opportunities. The boom in home improvement, fuelled in part by consumers amassing significant savings over lockdown, shows little sign of slowing down in 2022, or at all. Forward-thinking companies who invested in marketing throughout the pandemic have enjoyed record sales. They’re still stretching their lead over competitors and doing very well.

The world is slowly settling into a new normal and it’s brilliant to get out and meet customers and prospects again. As a full-service agency, we’ve grown this year and have recruited a team of talent in website development, video, social media and digital marketing to enhance the services we offer and boost customers’ growth. MRA Marketing also has some exciting new products and lots of developments in the pipeline. Watch this space! MRA Marketing wishes everyone in glass and glazing a Happy Christmas and prosperous 2022.

Andy Ball Managing Director, Balls2 Marketing

What a year! England got to the final of the Euros, the latest Bond movie (finally) came out, Aldi found themselves in a caterpillar cake ‘war’, and William Shatner ‘boldly’ went where nobody his age had ever gone before.

Not only are these examples of some of the year’s headlines, but they also illustrate different ways in which the power of marketing is used to spread a good story, and how it evolves with the times.

Since Balls2 Marketing was launched in 2010, we’ve continually evolved, and that has never been more apparent than this year. We’ve moved to bigger, better premises and rebranded our business to reflect our customer service mission, which is delivering marketing to make your business fly. In 2022, we shall continue to do what we do best – put the business goals of our clients at the heart of our strategy, and as a fullservice agency, continue to incorporate the latest innovative marketing methods to help their brands grow.

Chris Brunsdon Founder & CEO, Tommy Trinder

Selling, remember that? It’s the process of keeping order books stocked by convincing prospective clients that we are better than the competition. And it’s not exactly been a priority for window installers in 2021

In 2022, as consumers celebrate new-found freedoms by spending on experiences over things, that will change. Pent-up demand for travel will un-wind with gusto as the public plot ‘revenge vacations’, same goes for leisure, events and generally having a good time. Spending on the home will be so last year. They’ll be momentary sighs of relief as hard-pressed supply chains re-normalise. But then it will be back to business and doing what we in double-glazing do best: Sell.

At Tommy Trinder we’re ready; ready to help our customers sell. In a tougher, more competitive postpandemic economy our mission will be to provide the technology installers need to stand out from the crowd, wow customers and win orders.

Framepoint® is the tool for the job. And we’re really excited by the prospect.

Steve Haines Sales Director, Stuga

2021 has seen a contrast of fortunes for Stuga. With a fast growing order book and extending delivery times we moved to larger premises and recruited more staff. The move took two months to fully complete and then Covid hit hard followed by the ‘pingdemic’. We quickly learnt to work smarter with strict rules about distancing etc. Recruitment was successful although we still need more good quality engineering workers. Stuga now has an almost 100% vaccine protected workforce and regular Covid tests for all staff.

Plenty of overtime has caught production back up and the improvements created by the move have enabled us to fit extra machines into production and the created delivery slots have been quickly snapped up. The Stuga ZX5-S is proving to be an absolute hit in terms of accuracy, reliability and output with over thirty sold and a proven capacity of at least eight hundred windows per week. The order book is full for 2023 but we are planning to create more capacity in coming months.

Adrian Barraclough Chairman, Quickslide Windows Soren Nellegaard Interim MD, RetrofitWorks Ralph Sutcliffe Business Development Director, MRA Research Richard Jackson UK Sales Director, Freefoam Paul Ford Managing Director, Abcell Kurt Greatrex Sales Director, Dekko Window Systems

With the first months of COVID-19 being a test of financial resources, 2021 has been a year when every other resource has been tested - personnel, supply chain, logistics, costs…everything, despite (thankfully!) our balance sheet being restored.

The role of a business during the pandemic changed significantly. Suddenly we had a quite different duty to our staff, suppliers, customers, and local community. And as our community has always been part of our identity at Quickslide it was relatively straightforward to together to ensure we stayed safe, financially secure and ready to trade fully, once we were able.

We have spent this period constructively, regularly communicating with our people, customers and suppliers and working on innovations and strategies that would see us through the pandemic in a strong position. The pandemic strengthened good relationships and broke fragile ones and has often revealed the best and the worst of human behaviour. We have given and received huge support and the stronger bonds that we have forged with our community will last for many years to come.

We end 2020 and the much anticipated COP26 is now over. Depending on who you ask, it was a resounding success or a ‘cop’ out. Some believe limiting global warming to +1.5C might finally be within our grasp, while others believe the modest improvements don’t go far enough.

The reality is the outcome is nuanced. One thing however is certain: legislation to slow climate change will be put in place over coming years and combined with the Heat and Buildings Strategy, we will see sweeping changes within housing. This will impact how businesses operate, skillsets, materials, quality management systems etc. So for 2022, I urge businesses in the sector to get ahead, improve your understanding of the whole house approach, and how to market this effectively to consumers. RetrofitWorks’ membership can help with this by matchmaking your business with consumers looking to improve with the launch of our national retrofit service.

2021 was another exceptional year, and many of our customers have seen unprecedented demand. But it’s not been without challenges.

Since the initial restrictions were lifted, it’s clear that companies that were quick to adapt and didn’t stop spending on marketing did much better than those that did. Cutting back, closing down or postponing decisions inevitably weakens your relative competitive position, whatever the FD says. There’s no point waiting for the world to return to normal; it won’t. Changes now are shaping the industry’s future. It’s more important than ever to understand your customers - and how they are changing - and to keep up with new opportunities in the wake of the pandemic. Effective marketing depends on effective research to provide the facts and insight you need to direct your strategy. MRA Research looks forward to supporting both old and new customers with the insight and edge they need to make the right decisions and compete effectively in 2022.

On of the biggest changes to emerge from the pandemic has been the way people use their homes. Hybrid working means we’re spending more time at home and people are improving their properties to make them more spacious, attractive and energy efficient.

Last year we predicted cladding to grow fast in 2021, and we weren’t wrong. External cladding is an easy, low maintenance way to give homes an instant transforming facelift. But used with insulation, cladding can also make a big difference to a property’s energy performance. This is the big trend!

Freefoam’s premium X-Wood, and Fortex cladding sales are growing strongly. So, in response to demand, we’re launching two new cladding solutions in 2022. Fortex Clic 180, with click-fit interlocking boards for easy installation on any external surface, is ideal for home improvement projects, extensions and garden rooms. We’re also launching an ‘open V’ cladding solution – more details soon!

We wish you a happy and prosperous 2022.

Supply chain issues dominated the conversation in 2021 - not just in the glazing industry but across construction as a whole. However, at Abcell we have used this as an opportunity to expand our operations.

As the Glazed Extension Merchants, we were already the UK’s largest trade manufacturer of Guardian Warm Roofs and WarmCore, as well as fabricating the Ultraframe roof range, Stratus lanterns, and AluK windows and doors.

This year has seen us add Deceuninck uPVC windows and doors and Truedor composite doors to our range. Our customers already had access to a huge selection of roofing options for conservatories and extensions, as well as aluminium windows and doors. By diversifying into uPVC, with the option of Graf-welded products for seamless joins, and composites – they now really can get everything they need from us, whatever the project. As part of this expansion, we’ve also invested in new machinery and added key members to the Abcell team.

There are even more plans in the pipeline for 2022 – watch this space!

The past two years have certainly been a rollercoaster, but at Dekko, we remained committed to delivering the best service possible.

18 months ago, we opened a new 25,000 square foot manufacturing facility dedicated to the production of Räum, our exclusive aluminium range. That, combined with key investments and strong partnerships with our suppliers, meant lead times of Räum, as well as the Residence Collection and Infinity, our two leading uPVC ranges, were kept as lean as possible. As a result, we’ve experienced our best-ever 12-month period, recording a 40% sales increase.

Come the new year, we will be investing in a new CRM software which will allow us to streamline everything from customer enquiries and quotes to production and supply. We’re also planning on growing our apprenticeship programme and upskilling more young people. Our team is always grateful to our customers and suppliers for their continued support. We wish them all a Merry Christmas, and we very much look forward to continuing these relationships into the new year.

Nathan Barr Managing Director, ODL Europe

2021 has been a busy year for us and we’ve been working hard to help our customers maximise the opportunities that the booming market has delivered. At the same time, we continue to manage the challenges of escalating costs of freight and container restrictions due to peak trading conditions worldwide.

We’ve made several large-scale investments to support our business growth and help us manage the supply chain challenges. This has included investment in a new state of the art injection moulding machine for our door cassette production, which has allowed us to take more control over our product inventory. It’s been an exciting year for our new products. Our game-changing 30-minute Guardsman fire door is revolutionising the sector while our Deco and Moderne door ranges have proven popular as they tap into today’s door design trends.

We’ve got a lot to look forward to in 2022, not least the return of the FIT Show. We’re looking forward to face-to-face exhibiting and to welcoming customers old and new to our stand at the show.

Mike Parczuk Managing Director, Sternfenster

The home improvement boom will mean that most, if not all, installers will be starting 2022 with enough orders to keep them busy until at least the end of Q1.

The big question is, how much longer can we expect the boom to continue? Leads are already starting to slow, a sign perhaps that consumer confidence is beginning to dwindle and that homeowners had finally had enough of splashing their lockdown cash.

Unlike other sectors, has been very fortunate but it’s now time to get back to basics and re-focus on lead gen and the sales process. Through the introduction of our new Proposal Builder system – a next generation online quotation package – we will continue to ensure that our customers have the tools they need to make the most of whatever 2022 has in store.

We will also continue to invest in our most important asset, our workforce. We have already earned Silver Investors in People accreditation and I have every confidence that we will achieve our company vision of Gold IIP status in 2022.

Geoff Bishop – Marketing Manager, Victorian Sliders

What a year! After a hectic but extremely exciting period, we’re coming to the end of the most successful twelve months in Victorian Sliders’ history.

We’ve seen soaring demand for the kind of authentic, low-maintenance, costeffective and sustainable sash window products we provide, not just from homeowners, but housebuilders too.

Throughout the year, we’ve continued to invest in every aspect of our business – bringing in dozens of new employees to help meet demand after a highly successful recruitment event, significantly expanding our transport fleet, and opening a major new depot in Harlow. Perhaps most notably of all, we’ve received a significant investment from Growth Fund, who’ve acquired a 31% stake in Victorian Sliders worth £14m to drive the business forward – and now, to top it all off, we’ve just been named winner in the Fabricator/ Manufacturer category at the National Fenestration Awards!

With their support of BGF and our fantastic customers, we’ll be able to achieve even bigger and better things in 2022 and beyond.

Sam Nuckey, Managing Director, Window Ware

We certainly haven’t got bored of talking about record sales months this year, but unprecedented demand coupled with the pandemic and a straining global supply chain have really kept us on our toes!

Despite the challenges, our quick-thinking and resourceful team have done an amazing job of supporting our customers at every turn and meeting the constantly changing needs of the market.

With high demand set to continue into next year, our team will be looking to maintain the same strong customer focus going forward and ensure the current volumes are sustainable for the duration. We know how much our customers depend on our products and services to keep their businesses moving and we’ll do our utmost to continue to be exactly the hardware supply partner they need in 2022. I’d like to thank all of our customers for their loyalty over the last 12 months and wish them a fantastic Christmas and New Year.

Nick Bailey Business Development Manager, Business Micros

We gave the industry a glimpse of our new TOUCH software platform in 2021, with the launch of our TOUCH Vendor quoting and lead generation tool for installers. The response so far has been really excellent, but the real game changer is still to come in 2022.

Next year, we’ll be rolling out the TOUCH Portal system for fabricators, which will enable installers out in the field to quote and price using datasets direct from their own supplier. Some of the biggest named fabricators in the UK are already well on their way to release.

From that point, installers won’t need to manage their own product ranges, sizes or options in Vendor if they don’t want to. Instead, they’ll be able to link to their chosen fabricator’s Portal and use the data straight out of their Evolution manufacturing software.

It’s been a long time in development, but we can promise the market that it will be worth the wait.

Martin Hitchin CEO, REHAU UK

REHAU published its Sustainability Report 2020 in August 2021 and, although it was delayed due to COVID-19, it provides up-to-date figures on our sustainability efforts. These include CO2 savings of 97,000 tonnes through using recyclates from our polymer processing facilities. We’re extremely proud of the significant upscaling of PVCR processes and expansion of existing installer portfolios accomplished to date, achieving a recycling share of 54% in 2020, with 65% a target for 2025.

Alongside our polymer recycling capabilities, REHAU is taking a digitalfirst approach into 2022 to encourage more efficient processes and further development existing REHAU initiatives. For example, our Window. ID solution uses a tag to provide installers and fabricators with data about the window’s assembly and whole lifetime even after it is recycled into another frame, further encouraging the circular economy. REHAU Connect allows installers and fabricators to send and receive documentation electronically, cutting down on unnecessary physical paperwork. We look forward to further advancing these initiatives, which will allow demand and supply come together faster, and more sustainably.

Ian Cocken, Director of Sales and Marketing, aluplast Jay Patel Director, Everglade Windows Sioned Roberts Marketing Director, AluK Huw Williams Commercial Director, ERA parent company Tyman UK and Ireland Danelle Kaukau Head of Member Services, Certass Chris Beedel Director of Membership, FENSA

The last 18 months have been hugely challenging and while aluplast has not been immune from the problems that have affected the whole industry, the strength of our resources have allowed us to manage the situation better than most.

We have doubled our turnover for the last two years and we have grown our market share. We’ve achieved that by maintaining our lines of supply, including our standard foil options available from stock, through our level of service and our product offer. For 2022, I think we will see a drop in the high levels of demand that have been sustained since the mid2019, but I’m anticipating further growth for our market leading flush sash offer and for our Smart Slide patio door. 2022 will also mark the opening of our new £26m production facility which is due to come on line in the summer. With the potential to house up to 50 twin extrusion lines, it will crank up our already impressive capacity and further enhance our ability to service our growing customer base in the UK and Ireland.

There are plenty of positives that Everglade Windows and our customers can take from 2021. It’s been a busy year and great to see our aïr, aïr MOD Series and One Collection products being used in some amazing home transformations as homeowners rushed to spend their hard-earned cash on improving their properties after spending so much more time at home.

In the factory, we’ve marched on with our pre2020 plans. Over £1.5m has been invested in three new machines including a Schirmer uPVC cutting & machining centre, Rotox SVK 508 welder and Emmegi Comet aluminium CNC machine.

As we move into 2022, we’re looking forward to continuing with our investment and having more time for product development, to improve our exclusive range even further.

We’re also excited to get back to more face-to-face contact with customers and our industry peers too, and as we’ve missed two years of our legendary Everglade Trade Customer Conference, plans are already underway for a bigger and better event than ever before!

At AluK, we’ve been leading the debate around the impact the new Building Regs are likely to have on the industry. As well as fast tracking the product enhancements we need to make, we’re also now gearing up to roll out a communications programme for 2022, which will keep our fabricators up to date; and hopefully help them educate installers and homeowners about how lower U-Values for windows and doors tie into the overall green agenda.

It won’t just be about education though. The marketing team have got lots of exciting plans for new digital and POS tools designed to help our customers grow their businesses with us.

Stock availability and supply chain obviously dominated the industry narrative for much of 2021, and AluK has been impacted alongside everybody else. Obviously, none of us is entirely out of the woods yet and the coming weeks I’m sure will still be challenging, but I’m hopeful we’ll see an improvement in early 2022. I hope our customers have a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and can look forward to a prosperous and successful New Year.

Every area of the industry has been significantly impacted by the repercussions of the pandemic, which have created supply chain issues on an unprecedented scale over the last 12 months.

The uplift in home improvement spending far exceeded both our own demand forecasts and those of our customers, which, when combined with distribution delays and the increased cost of raw materials, created a strained trading environment for all of us.

However, there are some positives that can be taken from 2021. The acceleration in demand has encouraged every stage of the supply chain to collaborate, fostering stronger relationships between manufacturers, suppliers and customers in many instances. Together, we have taken steps to build better and more robust supply chain processes to improve product availability, now and in the future.

It’s fair to say we’ve also become more resilient – our teams have adapted to the challenges thrown at us and we’ve worked hard to help customers capitalise on the opportunities created by a buoyant housing market and the home improvement boom.

It’s not been the easiest of years, but it’s shown the true resilience of our sector. Certass members continued to be the ambassadors for our industry in front of homeowners, delivering some fantastic workmanship throughout the home improvement boom.

This year, Certass has focussed on delivering inclusive and practical support that members want. Our Certass TA members-only Facebook forum continues to be a lively engaging place to chat and get questions answered fast. This year, we also launched the Installer Protection Committee, which is helping to get installer’s issues heard at Government-level.

Certifiedcompetent.co.uk also went live in 2021 – a website for consumers, powered by Certass, to help them find their local Certass installer and get in touch with them for a quote on their home improvement project. Every Certass member has their own profile, complete with genuine customer reviews, which so far tally 64,000! We’re looking forward to catching up with everyone in person, so be sure to stop by the Certass Installer Support Hub at Fit Show in May!

The FENSA community have performed incredibly all year. In the midst of a pandemic and facing staff shortages, they’ve dealt with a surging demand from homeowners for home improvements. All whilst battling extended lead times, staff shortages and now an energy crisis that will see prices being passed down the supply chain.

Sustainability and net zero will undoubtedly dominate conversations with homeowners next year and this summer saw the launch of FENSA Recycling, a free collection service that enables all FENSA Approved Installers to recycle their U-PVC frames for free and provide evidence of their green credentials to customers (47) 2020 brought previously unseen issues but in many ways this year has surpassed the challenges first brought about by COVID 19 and to see our community of FENSA Approved Installers continue to register huge volumes of work throughout the year is brilliant to see. I want to take this opportunity to thank every single FENSA Approved Installer for their work this year and wish them all a very merry Christmas.

Dave Mechem Director of Operations, RISA Irene Akpojaro Operations Manager, Installsure Lis Clarke Operations Director, BFRC Chris Byers Managing Director, ExtrudaSeal Mark Bromley CEO , Avantis Hardware and Kubu Rhonda Ridge Managing Director, Ab Initio Systems Ltd/ AdminBase

A remarkable year in many ways and one in which RISA has completed over 11,000 assessments of FENSA Approved Installers. Their dedication to completing work of such a high standard during a pandemic is testament to their professionalism and the overall quality in the face of unprecedented demand is hugely impressive.

The year has seen RISA’s Expert Witness service take off with homeowners and installers alike. Our independence and impartiality in providing expert reports for customers to help resolve differences and avoid litigation has proven hugely popular for the money it has saved all parties. It has exceeded everyone’s expectations. It will be very interesting to see how the proposed changes to Approved Documents F&L affect how installers view Trickle Vents in the face of homeowners not wanting them on their new windows and doors. But I’m confident they will adapt, continue to produce work of outstanding quality and contribute hugely to the new home working environments their customers desire.

Installsure have seen a record number of applications to join us this year from installers across the UK both with FENSA and other competent person schemes and the number of policies issued this year has far exceeded expectations and the figures seen in 2020. We continue to be a leading IBG provider to the glazing industry.

Pleasingly we have seen a large drop in the number of claims made this year. This goes to prove that despite challenging trading conditions very few installers have gone out of business and consumer demand remains buoyant. We don’t expect to see any major changes to that demand for the first half of next year at the very least. We’ve also seen a big increase from our clients asking about Commercial IBGs and Performance Bonds over the past year suggesting that a lot of installers have diversified and taking on both domestic and commercial contracts and that Performance Bonds are becoming more commonplace in larger contracts. That’s something we expect to continue to grow over the next 12 months.

Right now, BFRC energy ratings have never been more important. We have a generation of homeowners who are rightly aware of their carbon footprint and now there is heightened awareness of energy prices rising and just what new windows and doors can do to reduce a home’s monthly bills.

We’ve seen an increasing number of installers using BFRC ratings as part of their sales pitch with homeowners this year and particularly from FENSA Approved Installers who get free BFRC ratings when they buy from a BFRC manufacturer. This trend is only going to increase over the next 12 months as the cost of living continues to increase for everyone and people look for ways to cut their bills.

In addition, the trend towards home working and their new office environment signals a more rounded conversation will need to be had with consumers on noise reduction and how their windows can cut their energy bills. It’s been a challenging year in many ways but one that has shown how adaptable and skilled those working in glazing are.

The glazing industry hasn’t seen a year like 2021 for quite some time. The supply chain challenges and consistently high demand has affected everyone. At ExtrudaSeal, we continued to innovate and 2021 saw the launch of PremaSeal, a seal which uses anti-stretch technology designed to help fabricators make better windows, doors and bifolds.

It was also fantastic to see the return of meeting people face-to-face again and it’s been a pleasure to see lots of familiar faces at events like PiGs. It was a shame that FIT Show was postponed, but we look forward to its return next year, where we will be showing visitors how we can improve their products with our range of seals and gaskets. As we go into 2022, we hope things will be calmer, which will give fabricators and installers a chance to focus more on innovation and creating better performing windows and doors, and products like PremaSeal are the perfect way to do this.

Like everyone in the hardware market it’s been a challenging year in terms of product supply, but thanks to our own manufacturing facility in Malaysia, we have fared better than most, given our local knowledge and resources.

Throughout the year much development work has been done with our Kubu smart-sensor platform and new range of multi-point locks which will be with us early in the New Year, as will the window and retro-fit sensors. This will take us and our business partners directly into the smart home market in 2022 and already many leading manufacturers are with us for the journey ahead as their smart partner of choice.

Inevitably there will be others launching next year and no doubt they will have to go through 18 months of development work as we’ve done with Kubu. It could also make for the most exciting FIT Show for several years where will also be looking to share our vision for a smarter future. But before then we’d like to wish our customers, suppliers, and business partners the very best for the festive period.

Even if the drivers are incredibly complex, the net result of combined Brexit/pandemic-related issues for the window and door industry is, for most, a boom in sales. This increase in sales in the residential sector has brought with it many challenges for installers. Who have in turn sought solutions to managing the additional complexities that this has presented, and which has brought them to our door.

The outcome is that sales of AdminBase are running 40% higher than for 2020, itself an extraordinary period. And these companies will enjoy enhanced efficiencies within their businesses, efficiencies that will continue to provide daily benefits, not just during boom times.

At the ‘coalface’ of our industry, AdminBase is a reliable measure of both how well the industry is performing and of how positively it has faced and adapted to the changes with which it has been presented. And in such a dynamic market, we are responding to provide AdminBase with the most dynamic development in its 23 year history. Lots to show at FIT Show in May.

Stephen Nadin Managing Director, Endurance Doors

2021 has been a year of business challenges for us all, exacerbated by a sustained level of accelerated consumer demand and so we’ve put in place systems and processes that have assisted us in dealing with these issues. The changes made have also been for the long-term and will serve us well as demand subsides and supply chains normalise next year.

Communications have been key throughout the last 12 months and more recently our investment programme has realised Amicus, an IT led infrastructure that provides tickets for all customer enquiries, not only speeding up the process but providing considerably better lines of communication and transparency across the business. We’ve also invested heavily with a recruitment programme that has also brought in two further members to the marketing team, not to mention the launch of the eagerly anticipated, ultrapremium Avantal door. We’re looking for another strong year ahead for Endurance and will be looking to further invest in the overall customer experience for our Installer Partners, including furthering the intensive marketing programme. But for now, we wish everyone the very best over the festive season.

Robert Thiroff Managing Director, profine UK

This year has had its challenges, yet we leave 2021 in a better position than from when we started, thanks to the hard work by staff, investment from the group and in new personnel. We’re looking into 2022 with considerable optimism and with a new and expanded sales and marketing function led by Kevin Warner.

Next year the industry will likely see the introduction to a change in the building regulations, with a U-value of 1.2 W/(m2K) widely mooted, something that our new flush sash window can achieve as standard. We’ve also doubled our FIT Show commitment with new product and service initiatives to launch, just a matter of weeks on from Fensterbau.

We’ve also got another major announcement due to be unveiled at the show, but above all, we’ll be looking to ignite the KÖMMERLING name once again with the strong values that the brand has always been associated with. The team and I would like to wish customers, suppliers, business partners and the wider industry all the very best for the festive break.

Sarah Hitchings Sales and Marketing Director, The Residence Collection and Window Widgets

This year our focus has been about product supply given the social, economic and political factors that have affected the economy as a whole. We’ve also recruited across all business disciplines, and are pleased to have taken on five apprentices in HR, Finance, Marketing, Customer Service and Operations via Gloucestershire College.

In February we proudly achieved a zero-landfill mark and is the first part of our plan to be a carbonneutral site by 2025, well ahead of the guidelines laid down by The Climate Pledge. It’s also been a year in which we’ve celebrated our 21st year in business with Window Widgets, raising money for GM Fundraising and We Mind Kelly Matters with various ideas and events which will continue into 2022.

A huge thank you to our customers for their loyalty and support this year, and a well done to the wider industry for all working tirelessly in what has been an exceptionally demanding year. I hope we all get to enjoy a wellearned rest over the festive break and come back in 2022 ready to go again, whatever the challenges!

Ryan Johnson, Managing Director, Emplas

2021 was another challenging year, but we adapted and overcame those challenges giving us a solid foundation for 2022.

This included the launch of our aluminium offer. A key growth area, our customers can buy PVC-U and aluminium from a single source, in addition to glass. We also invested in our service and support offer. Supply chain challenge meant that the last year wasn’t always easy (and we’d like to say thank you to our customers for their support - and sometimes patience!). We’ve learnt from that experience and used it to drive innovation in our systems and support offers, making them more agile and flexible long-term – we’ve adapted to change but not everyone has. Continuing supply chain disruption and energy price increases will place pressure on cashflow and manufacturers in the year ahead. This is something which will further impact installer security of supply. For good or bad, 2021 has made us better at what we do and investment led, we’re here for the future, our own but most importantly our customers’.

Rob McGlennon Managing Director, Deceuninck

2022 has got to be about sustainability. The challenges that we’ve been hit by as an industry in the last year have been immense - but ultimately, they’re only a distraction from a far more fundamental change.

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) highlighted the acute impact that we are having globally on climate change. It also highlights the expectations that are now being placed upon us by consumers.

We need to recycle more, we need to use less energy and lower our CO2 footprint, because it’s the right thing to do - but also because it will be fundamental to doing business in the future.

Our recycling facility has the capacity to reprocess up to 45,000 tonnes of waste PVC-U a year. That’s the equivalent of preventing 3million windows from going to landfill, delivering a 90,000tonne reduction in CO2 emissions compared to virgin material. This story will win Deceuninck fabricators and installers business in the future and we’re committed to supporting them in telling it.

Nigel Headford Director, Deceuninck Aluminium

2021 has been a slightly ‘brutal’ but incredible year for Decalu. Brutal because of the hours that I’ve spent on the road, brilliant because of the number of fabricators that we’ve brought on.

We have full coverage throughout the UK. That’s important because the demand that we’re seeing from installers continues to grow. Their buy-in has been incredible, which means that as we’ve brought new fabricators on, we’ve been able to offer them leads and orders on top of manufacturing efficiencies of up to 40%. We’re also now working with fabricators on some very exciting commercial applications, in part because of the energy performance of the system. Decalu will achieve u-values as low as 0.6W/ m2K, comfortably meeting the changes to Part L this year and beyond - even the 0.8W/m2K being suggested for 2025 under the Future Homes Standard.

That’s because Decalu is a next generation aluminium system, combining thermal performance with fabrication and significant installation efficiencies.

We’re committed to underpin that with service and support levels which redefine expectations in aluminium.

Andrew Scott Managing Director, Purplex

The industry has certainly had another rollercoaster year with many companies achieving record orderbooks, but unfortunately material and labour shortages have clearly impacted lead-times and service levels.

Looking forward, I predict demand will stabilise but remain strong. Unemployment levels are at record lows, interest rates remain low (despite an expected increase), and consumers are still sitting on large cash reserves following the pandemic. For those companies who have ambition and are able to push through the current challenges, there is huge opportunities ahead. The highlight for me was hosting the Glazing Summit in October, bringing together over 400 industry leaders and realising that this industry has some of the most resilient leaders in British business. It will be interesting to look back when we host the 2022 Glazing Summit. At Purplex, 2021 was a year of investment as we built a new HQ and recruited and trained dozens of new employees - ready to support our customers as we move forward into 2022 and beyond, in a world where marketing and customer behaviour is constantly changing.

Alex Tremlett Operations Manager, Insight Data

2021 has seen the highest level of volatility since Insight Data first started recording trends in 2008. 709 firms have closed their doors since the pandemic started, and the number of fabricators and installers has dropped below 14,000 for the first time ever.

However, it isn’t all bad news - in fact, there is significant opportunities ahead. The home improvement market remains strong with continued consumer demand and a buoyant housing market, while a drive towards more sustainable low-carbon homes will create future demand. At the recent Glazing Summit, we highlighted several key survey results among installers including a significant increase in average order values and sales conversion rates. And, with less competition in the marketplace, the industry has an opportunity to reverse the ‘race to the bottom’ on price. The supply chain issues have taken their toll on service levels and throttled growth for many companies. However, we expect firms to bounce-back strongly in 2022 by reviewing their supply chain partners and adapting their business model. This could lead, for example, to more companies moving back into manufacturing themselves, rather than relying on fabricators or IGU manufacturers.

Elton Boocock Managing Director, Business Pilot

2021 zapped a lot of energy but some of the challenges that people faced, remote working, staying in control of their business and on top of their supply chain, worked for us, because it exposed gaps in their systems and prompted installers to look for solutions.

That is what Business Pilot is - it’s an out of the box solution for running every element of your business from lead generation, to supply chain and installations, to finances and reporting. You can optimize everything about your business because everything is visible. That visibility is going to be important in the year ahead. Leads won’t dry up overnight, everyone is far too busy, but it won’t be there for ever.

Now is the time to fix the roof while the sun is still shining. Understand your business, what’s working what isn’t and put the systems in place which allow you to take back control and work more effectively. Business Pilot is designed by installers for installers. It’s everything that you need to run your retail operation.

Roger Hartshorn CEO, Sheerline

Demand from commercial and homeowner projects for aluminium products continued to rise as we emerged from the blight of Covid. This, coupled with a market plagued by supply issues made 2021 an interesting year. However, our high level of vertical integration and the commitment to investment we’ve made as a market leading manufacturer – one of only a few in the UK – has enabled Sheerline to achieve fantastic growth against this challenging backdrop. Customers are beginning to reap the benefits of offering our truly integrated product range, and this success looks set to accelerate in 2022. Next year is going to be busy!

2022 will see us introduce more exceptional products based around Sheerline’s three fundamental principles; our patented corner construction, unique Thermlock technology® and our unbeatable service. Proactive fabricators who keep an ‘eye on the future’ can be confident that all our systems are ready for the new proposed tightening of Part L as we move towards the Future Homes Standard.

We wish our customers and the market a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

Chris Bailey, UK and Ireland Business Development Manager, Kall Kwik Dave Broxton Managing Director, Bohle Ltd.

It’s been an incredibly busy year for us at Kall Kwik, but it’s also been a very exciting one. As with everyone in the industry, we’ve seen demand go through the roof and have been busier than ever, and there have been plenty more positives to come from 2021.

This year has seen us launch our innovative new ACE partner scheme, which offers fabricators a comprehensive support package for their machinery. We’ve also expanded our team, adding experienced industry engineer Danny Jones as our Technical Director. With a 20-year career in the industry, his addition to the Kall Kwik team means we can now offer an unbeatable level of expertise. We’ve completed some big installations this year, which shows that people are still keen to invest in new machinery. We expect that to continue in 2022, with the past year showing just how important it is to have efficient machinery in place to help manufacturers cope with the pressure of increases in demand.

Given the trials of the last couple of years while like everyone else. I’m hoping for a return to normality in 2022, I’m not convinced things will.

Business is moving into a new era, where the strength of a company is no longer measured simply by its financial stability, but also in its resilience and ability to overcome global and market challenges. Just in time delivery is exposed when supply chains are disrupted. Bohle and others will be investing in more inventory whilst simultaneously streamlining product offerings to mitigate the impact on working capital. The market is also moving ever more digital and Bohle has invested in the latest IT and comms technology with a brand new website offering due next year which will redefine and simplify how customers order online.

The environment too will be a big driver in 2022. Businesses will be held accountable by Government and the market for the manner in which they use the planet’s resources. Customers will be seeking sustainable products and recycling raw materials.

Christina Shaw Managing Director, Glass People Ltd

I always think of the words from the Eagle song ‘Hotel California’ when it comes to the window industry, ‘’You can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave!“

And why would you want to? Our industry has proven itself resilient in the face of adversity, time and time again. I’m proud to be a part of you window lot and I’d like to congratulate us all for plowing through the last couple of years and facing the numerous obstacles in our way, head on.

Thank you also to our customers, your support has been unwavering and we are looking forward to visiting you again, and of course, meeting up at The FIT Show for a long overdue catch up. Have a wonderful Christmas. Wishing you and your families health and success for 2022 and beyond.

Mark Gore Sales and Marketing Manager, Pearl Windows Systems Ltd

2021 has been an incredibly busy year for reasons we all know, we feel at Pearl we have made the best of the situation for ourselves and our customers throughout 2021.

Not to be relaxed in our approach we have In the background been busy preparing our own bespoke software developments ready to launch for 2022, we believe these will set us aside from our competitors, in turbulent times we will allow new transparency for customers who are desperate to see the progress and tracking of their order and much more. 2022 will see a reboot of our “Signature Collection” marketing which our customers already love, what we have achieved in these brochures will be a game changer and can only complement our Signature package once again. With Pearl Windows Systems offering “The Signature Collection” we have on offer a market-leading sales package for any business large or small that will make you stand out in a crowd. Innovative back up from caring talented people and unrivalled service to support, to enable you to stand out from the competition and capitalise on opportunities and challenges that 2022 will undoubtedly bring. We are here because we care about you!

Dan Sullivan MD, DOORCO

2021 has been a rollercoaster year for DoorCo. We’ve had highs with the successful launch of two significant products – GRiPCORE & FLiP – a full company rebrand (which involved a lot of soul searching for us as a business!), we’ve expanded our team and grown our customer base. But, for most of the year, we have been on code red as we’ve battled with the widely reported supply chain shortages. For the last 18 months, we have been firefighting and running at 100mph, whilst trying to make sure we don’t lose the spirit that built the business. We are emerging stronger and better from all the lessons learnt over this time and we look forward to starting 2022 on a slightly more even keel. We have the FIT Show to look forward to, where we will have a chance to share what DoorCo today looks like with the industry, and more innovations to showcase.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers for their continued loyalty and send our best wishes for the festive period.

Paul Godwin Managing Director, VAST PR & Director, FIT Show

My background as cofounder of the FIT Show and also as publicist for many of the industry’s best brands, gives me insights from many perspectives. These leave me impressed by the resourcefulness, ingenuity, inventiveness, pragmatism and capacity for sheer hard work that seems to be available in spades in the UK window and door sector.

I believe these instincts are nurtured by entrepreneurs who intuitively dig deeper, perhaps in lieu of academic qualifications, and who only know two speeds: full and stop. These qualities have carried the industry through the biggest test that most of us have been put to in our lifetimes, let alone careers.

In March 2020 many wondered if it was the end of their businesses and livelihoods. Just over two years later we will be gathering at the FIT Show, which for me will be far more than a mere ‘tradeshow’, but more a celebration of having come through (so far) such trials, and to emerge stronger. I can’t wait to renew the acquaintance of so many friends and colleagues after an enforced absence.

Deborah Hendry Managing Director, Kolorseal Ltd

Despite the ups-anddowns of another tough year for everyone, we hope that 2021 has been successful …or that things are moving forward positively as we head into 2022.

With supply chain issues and lead times having affected just about everyone, I think light at the end of what seems a very long tunnel is nearing. We would like to thank our customers for working with us, and also for their patience when it was needed. Your loyalty is very much appreciated by everyone at Kolorseal. Having won the NFA Colour Specialist accolade in November, we hope it demonstrates our understanding and commitment to the sector, as well as to customers’ businesses.

I personally am very grateful for our continuing partnerships, and we look forward to working together with you in the new year, when we will be launching some exciting new developments. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2022 for you and yours!

Guy Hubble Joint Managing Director, Regalead

After a year dominated by supply chain issues and exceptional levels of demand, I think the industry is ready for more normalised year in 2022. Although as the market ‘bubble’ is starting to deflate, I think we can expect a difficult first quarter, followed by a levelling out as we go into the summer.

RegaLead is heading into the new year with exceptionally high stock levels, ready to deliver to customers, who should be taking advantage of the new era of the composite door market - ‘replacement of a replacement’. We’re looking forward to seeing many more customers face-to-face at FiT Show. We have lots of exciting product launches planned, include some major revisions to our door glass range, which have been put on hold throughout the pandemic whilst we focussed our efforts on maintaining supply of our existing products. I’d like to express my personal gratitude to every RegaLead customer for their patience and understanding through these times, with any luck, we can all enjoy a week on the beach next summer!

Gareth Jones Managing Director, Solar Group (Huthwaite) Nigel Leivers Managing Director, Frame Fast Asa McGillian MD, New World Developments Nickie West Event Director, FIT Show Ross Hartshorn Manufacturing Director, Garnalex Simon Scholes MD, VEKA Recycling Ltd

I attended the Glazing Summit, where there were some interesting debates and people were talking positively about order books into next year. But, even so, I was surprised by the economic outlook, which was remarkably upbeat. I’m a pragmatist and I can’t see how the industry can continue with the volumes it’s carrying.

I think we’re in for a challenging 2022 – household disposable income will very likely shrink as a result of inflation, interest rates and taxation, and where there’s a drop in disposable income, there will be a drop in spending. This is bound to affect the home improvement sector…the question is when, by how much and for how long? While we have a very strong, efficient operation across Solar Group and will be putting a lot into marketing, introducing new concepts at the FIT Show, I will be mindful of the potential for a slowdown in the industry. We will be positioning the businesses to grow market share and to make sure a downturn won’t impact our group of companies.

There have been many highlights for Frame Fast in 2021 – not least, from a personal point of view, was my appointment as Managing Director after 18 years with the company – a position I was incredibly proud to accept.

Our company is where it is today due to a combination of hard work, dedication, close customer relationships and a great team, and I’m looking forward to leading Frame Fast into the next step of its growth. We’ve also been working hard to launch our own apprenticeship scheme, enabling youngsters to get hands-on experience fabricating windows and doors in our state-of-the-art factory. We are expanding this with a training school for fabricator apprentices, creating a highly skilled workforce and supporting the professionalisation of the industry. We’ll be celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2022 – showing the continued success of the business and the ongoing commitment of our team - and we have lots of special plans to make sure we mark the occasion in the best way possible.

Add what the world has been through in the past couple of years, to the residual problems that affect all of us in the UK and Ireland and, without wishing to bleat on about it too much, for us over here, the Irish Sea border… our year has been remarkably positive.

Our installer customers have shown remarkable resilience and responded well to our intensive social media-based video campaigns that have produced impressive volumes of sales leads. And interestingly our more recent TV campaign has provided an intriguing insight and shift in how to reach homeowners. But all of our direct-to-consumer campaigns are receiving more funding for ’22. Product development is something that excites me and we have some terrific new developments for doors and windows under both brands planned for 2022…and with the addition of more good-oldfashioned field sales people, we are very optimistic for next year. For now, we would like to wish all of our colleagues in the window and door industry, a relaxing and enjoyable Festive Season.

That’s a wrap on 2021. Another challenging year, but with many positive highlights and lots to look forward to in 2022. The event industry, like many, has been hit hard by the pandemic. It’s testament to the strength and resilience of our community, and its loyalty to the FIT Show brand, that we are entering 2022 with record visitor registrations, and with more than 80% of the floorplan allocated.

I’d like to say a very BIG thank you to each and every one of our FIT Show Family. From their patience and understanding about postponing FIT Show 2021, through to attending our inaugural online learning event in their droves. The FIT Show community never ceases to amaze me.

I am more excited than ever to finally be on the home stretch to FIT Show in May 2022 - a truly positive landmark in the industry calendar. I cannot wait to celebrate with everyone as we bring the market back together and showcase everything that has been accomplished over the last three years. See you all soon!

After, our initial investment of £15m in our state-of-the-art facility, it’s exhilarating to see our press in full flow during 2021, providing a responsive service to both our trade customers, as well as for our own Sheerline range. We’re proud to be a truly ‘Made in Britain’ manufacturer.

At the heart of our operation is our very own ‘Blue Whale’ a 220-tonne, 32MN force SMS HybrEx press, which consumes 55% less energy by using the latest hybrid drive technology to provide up to 4-tonnes an hour of aluminium extrusion. We have recently started a second shift to help ramp up ahead of next years increased demand forecast. It is great to see so many of our customers so busy. 2022 will see Garnalex continue to invest, ensuring we maintain our exceptional levels of service and provide customers with an honest and open approach to guarantee we exceed their expectations. Standing still is not an option at Garnalex, we aim to offer our customers the best, long-term solutions. Sheerline staff and I would like to wish our customers a very Merry Christmas.

2021 saw the completion of a factory many years in the making. A strong team effort during the pandemic has written the latest chapter in the VEKA recycling story and year of refinement of a construction project that took 2 years to complete. I am proud of all we have achieved and honoured to lead such a fantastic group of people.

We became a 24/7 business as we geared up to answer the significantly increased demand for high quality recycled material. And we are at the forefront of change as the PVC-U window and door industry accepts both the importance of recycling and inclusion of recycled material in new profiles, and the power that these bring to our messages as an industry. 2022 will see us celebrate 15 years since we were established in the UK and with this milestone achieved, we are looking forward to joining our sister company, VEKA Plc, at the FIT Show next year. A Merry Christmas to everyone and a prosperous 2022!