Voice of the Industry

OF THE INDUSTRY VOICE

SO, HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?

The long awaited FIT Show has come, and gone, and Glass News is asking how it was for you? Whether an exhibitor or visitor, a former exhibitor who gave it a miss this time but came for a look anyway or an installer who gave up valuable fitting time to see what other products were new to the market. Perhaps you are from a system house, a hardware manufacturer, a machinery company or involved in glass in some way, shape, or form. You could be from a multitude of other disciplines within the fenestration industry such as paint, adhesives, testing or even a humble PR company or journalist. Perhaps you had travelled from overseas to visit the show or happen to work just round the corner from the NEC. Whatever. We want to know about your experience at FIT 2022, how important the show is to you and your business, and what you would like to see at the next show. Did something or someone stick out in your mind when you visited or would you simply like to reinforce the message you were aiming to get over to visitors to the show? Tell us all about it!

Andy Clear COO and Co-founder, Augmented Reality Creations

Thanks to significant backing from Purplex Marketing, we were privileged to showcase Augmented Reality Creations (ARC) on the leading agency’s FIT Show stand this year.

Visitors loved our demos of ARC Design, our new augmented reality software that’s changing how conservatory installers do business and transforming how homeowners design and buy conservatories. The easiest and fastest design tool adds a real wow factor to sales visits and increases both sales and conversion rates.

There was a great buzz the FIT Show, and if there’s one thing that was clear to me, is that installers are looking for new ways to sell – competition is fierce out there, and as a result, business owners are ready to embrace new technology and digitalisation to get ahead and bring the industry forward. To have the opportunity to showcase ARC design and to introduce industry leaders and potential customers to the software was an honour, and it was fantastic to be part of the show.

Gareth Jones Managing Director, Solar Calibre Doors

The industry was obviously very ready for a live event and a lot of people were keen to exchange experiences and expectations, after the challenges of the last few years. We are all facing a market downturn, but this is where high end products that offer great margins will help avoid that pricing race to the bottom, that we so often see in this industry.

We received a lot of interest in our higher end products, notably the Craftsman timber door as well as our specialist doors, and were really pleased by the reaction to our new Portium range, which we showcased at FIT. Similarly, our new Passivhaus solution was a head-turner, because of the growing demand for high performing, energy efficient products. This was something of a test bed for us, and the response endorsed our own confidence in these specialist products, as well as in our GRP and timber fire rated doors, which we are able to offer in partnership with our sister company Fire Doors by Solar.

Kurt Greatrex Sales Director, Dekko Window Systems

It was so good to see the FIT Show up and running again, and this year was a huge success for Dekko.

At the show, we were showcasing the UK’s first fully seamless reverse butt welded window, which was on display at Haffner’s stand.

Haffner is the sole distributor of Graf Synergy machinery in the UK, the game changing technology that we utilised in the production of our new window, and which was also on display at FIT. The new window was also on display at Kubu’s stand, thanks to a partnership with the company – so not only is it fully seamless, but it can also feature Kubu Smart Security Sensors, providing security and smart alerts through the dedicated Kubu app. I was really encouraged by the turnout at this year’s Show – after two years of uncertainty, the industry has certainly bounced back. At Dekko, we’re very much looking forward to launching our world first window and bringing the industry up to date with the latest in smart tech.

Bradley Gaunt Made For Trade, Managing Director

For MFT, FIT 2022 was for all intents and purposes, the ‘mighty mite’ of shows.

Amiss for 4 years we should have witnessed the biggest and best supported industry event on the calendar and yet the effects of a pandemic, major supply chain issues, world events and the very real risk of a recession, resulted in a slimmed down show in terms of exhibitors. This, however, was in stark contrast to the footfall we witnessed, at least on the MFT stand. The intensity and quality of the interest for our products was incredibly humbling and the positivity, especially for our new Korniche Bi-folding Door made the whole journey to develop it (twice) and take it to market, completely worth it. One USP, MFT’s new clip in bead, ‘Speedbead’, quite literally left people’s jaws hanging after they’d seen first-hand just how much time it would save on site.

The Korniche Lantern is all about speed and ease of installation and this statement is also certainly true for the new door too.

Sarah Ball Balls2 Marketing, Organiser of PiGs

What a night we had! More than 250 people descended on the Certass stand for FIT Show’s Late Night Wednesday as PiGs proved the place to be – once again showing how the glazing industry can party.

With more than 1,500 drinks served up over the course of three-hour get together and a live band, guests were literally dancing in the aisles as a truly memorable evening was had by all. Balls2 Marketing is happy to organise these events for our industry and it never ceases to amaze me how much fun they are. I’d like to say a special thank you to all our wonderful sponsors whose ongoing support makes PiGs possible, and a big thanks to Certass for hosting. All sponsorship money goes towards the evening’s expenses on food, drink and entertainment.

We also sold PiGs badges and slippers throughout the show to raise funds for We Mind and Kelly Matters and the glazing industry once again showed just how incredibly generous it is as we raised more than £845!

Chris Byers Managing Director, ExtrudaSeal Michael Hewitt Sales Director, AT Precision Sam Nuckey Managing Director, Window Ware Andy Royle Co-founder and Managing Director, Leads 2 Trade Luke Piper Director, The Joinery Network Mark Handley Partnerships Manager, Building Our Skills

FIT Show made us realise that the number of fabricators who have issues with their gaskets stretching is even more than we thought. It was a major topic of conversation which meant that PremaSeal was the most popular product with visitors to our stand.

Featuring anti-stretch technology which helps the seal stay in place, it offers fabricators a solution they can fit and forget without worrying about shrinking. This results in reduced site call backs to re-fit the gasket which not only makes windows and doors last longer, but it also significantly reduces waste. Customers in the past have explained how they’ve had to cut gaskets longer to account for shrinkage, but with PremaSeal you don’t have to do that, saving fabricators around 14 metres of gasket per 100 sashes, which is a phenomenal reduction. Our Se-Lon foam seals and corner gaskets also attracted attention, but overall, it was just great to see everyone again, especially at PiGs on the Wednesday night which we are always very happy to sponsor!

Having visited the FIT Show in previous years, I was fairly sure of what to expect, but as the first year exhibiting AT Precision, I can confidently say that it was a huge success for our business.

The Show provided a unique opportunity to show off our Everglide range of aluminium bi-fold hardware, our Everseal range of gaskets, and our range of handles, locks and other ancillaries.

It was also a perfect opportunity to discuss the company’s upcoming plans, including a full aluminium profile offering and an imminent factory expansion. Meeting face to face with existing customers as well as networking with potential customers and industry leaders has been incredibly valuable to the business, and I was delighted to welcome visitors to the stand, giving them the unique chance to see our products up close and to learn more about their specific requirements. It was a privilege to see so much interest in our product ranges, and the Show overall was very much well worth attending.

In our industry, we rely heavily on face-to-face interactions to build relationships, so the absence of the Fit Show has been felt.

It was brilliant to be back on familiar territory again and we were delighted to be able to support the Business Pilot Partner Zone, which proved to be a real magnet for a wide range of organisations and a prime meeting point for all our key contacts. It was also fantastic to see a selection of our products displayed on KÖMMERLING’s popular stand. These included our Regal Hardware handles on their flush sash windows, alongside Glide Hardware components on their PremiLine patio door. Unsurprisingly, trickle ventilation and the imminent changes to build regs were hot topics, but Window Ware is ready to provide customers with exactly the hardware provision and support they’ll need to comply. As one of the UK’s largest and most trusted hardware distributors, boasting longstanding partnerships with many of the industry’s biggest brands, there’s simply no way we would have missed FIT Show 2022.

We have never previously exhibited at FIT Show, but as it was the first show in three years due to the pandemic we thought it would be the perfect time to break our duck.

It was a very positive three days, with Wednesday particularly busy, and it was great to see some of our installer members face to face.

We had lots of interest from installers in our premium lead, no pitch no fee confirmed appointment service, which reinforces what we are hearing in terms of installers seeing a definite shift to receiving fewer enquiries from their self-generated efforts. It also provided us with the opportunity to introduce our new 25% cashback offer for consumers to the market, which installers can offer to prospects to give them a unique USP over the competition – and double their conversion rates.

We believe this is going to be a game-changer for the way installers pitch and convert leads and initial interest is certainly there.

Our new range of Lignum timber entrance doors proved to be a real star attraction at the FIT Show, getting lots of interest at not one, but three stands throughout the event.

Featuring on the stands of affiliates RegaLead and International Timber as well as our own, the stunning real wood doors grabbed the attention of installers and fabricators looking to add timber doors to their product offering. The interest in timber is now higher than ever before and FIT Show was the perfect opportunity to show just how easy it is to add Lignum doors, and our window range, into the product mix that installation companies and manufacturers already offer. The doors on display at the show proved to be real attention grabbers. Not only are they engineered to be highly insulated and extremely stable, the feedback we received was that it was the look and feel of the doors that impressed the most. You can feel that a Lignum door is real wood and that’s what homeowners want.

The FIT Show was my first week in my new role as Partnerships Manager for Building Our Skills, and what a great first week. I’m from the industry and joining Building Our Skills to play a major part in campaigning to help the industry bridge its skills gap is an opportunity I have really embraced.

Having an immediate opportunity to meet up with many people I already know to explain my new role, and meeting lots of new people who I can now follow up with to explain the work of Building Our Skills was the perfect start. So for me the FIT Show was a great success, and generally I think the feel of the show was really positive. We certainly benefitted from our attendance, and I hope everybody else did too. It’s a big commitment to attend an exhibition, but it gives the industry the best opportunity to meet, and celebrate the many incredible products and businesses that thrive within it. We will certainly be back next year.

Alan Calverley Director, Department of Marketing Kevin Warner Sales and Marketing Director, profine UK and KÖMMERLING Ryan Bromley Co-founder, Kubu Smart Tracey Jackson Business Development Manager, Howells Patent Glazing Katie Bregazzi Operations Director, Balls2 Marketing Andy Meakin Head of Sales & Customer Service, ODL Europe

It was great to see clients, as both exhibitors and visitors, and friends from the industry after so long. It was particularly nice to meet new contacts whom we only knew through video calls, in real life!

Arriving on day one for opening time, we were pleased to see the aisles quickly fill up. However, after lunch it was noticeably quieter. We also sat in on a seminar discussing the skills crisis which had poor attendance. The good weather and high temperatures may have had more than a little to do with this though! My main observation was just how many aluminium products were on display, compared to PVC. Reflecting market trends, no doubt.

As an experienced exhibitor and stand manager, I thought the layout of hall three worked well and there were many professional stands – proving people’s commitment to the show and desire for face-to-face engagement. Will moving to every year work? I had numerous conversations about this, and the general feeling was that bi-annually worked better.

As an industry it was difficult to predict how successful this year’s FIT Show would be and yet from our perspective it was a revelation. We invested heavily in the stand and supporting activities, and it was a joy to see so many positive customers. We also generated a considerable number of new enquiries from installers and fabricators keen to make the change to KÖMMERLING.

The show was also an opportunity for us to celebrate the 125-year anniversary of the KÖMMERLING name, a business founded in 1897 by Karl Kommerling. We produced an anniversary book to celebrate this milestone and with the owner and CEO of profine Group, Dr Peter Mrosik over, copies were signed and distributed.

As is the KÖMMERLING way, a number of technically advanced products were on show including the new flush sash which achieves a U-value of 1.2 (W/m2K) with a standard doubleglazed unit. There was also considerable interest in our vertical sliding sash window, WarmCore system, PremiLine Pro and lift and slide PremiDoor. But what a great show for us!

Without question we had a wonderful show. Having the opportunity to present our Kubu Smart Security products to thousands of people was a big plus. We’ve had the door solution out in the marketplace for 2 years now and we’ve added to this with the launch of the window and retro-fit sensors which are ready to order now, taking us and our partners firmly into the wider smart home market.

The fact that Kubu is endorsed by smart insurance provider Locket and that we are fully vertically integrated also resonated well with visitors to the stand, as did the launch of the industry’s first smart security guarantee. Our rapid development programme has been underpinned by the mechanical expertise of Avantis with an expanded new lock range, combined with our software and firmware engineering teams. We were virtually everywhere across the show, featuring on various partners stands, including: Avocet/ABS, DoorCo, Kommerling, Dekko & Haffner. FIT Show 2022 was a watershed moment for Smart in our industry and it is clear that Kubu now leads the way by quite some margin.

We’ve waited quite a while for the return of the FIT Show and I’m sorry to say that I don’t think it was worth it. Like many in the industry I was excited to return to the NEC. This time was different as I had the luxury of visiting rather than the stress of being an exhibitor. I enjoyed spending time looking at what the industry had to offer, from door manufacturers to flooring suppliers! It was particularly interesting to see what new releases were out there.

There were lots of topical seminars and presentations, of which I was proud to be a part, but I didn’t feel the buzz was the same as in previous years. There seemed to be less people, and as a result, less energy in the room. It was always going to be difficult to return after all the disruption and change, but let’s hope the industry rallies for 2023.

As a new face to the industry, my first experience at the FIT Show was one to remember. I was unsure of what to expect, but I loved immersing myself and learning more about the glass and glazing industry. Having previously attended exhibitions in other sectors, it was amazing to learn about all the latest products on the market and I even managed to book myself in for a few factory tours to improve my understanding.

One of the things that struck me most however was how close and tightknit this industry is. It was so refreshing to see everyone get on so well and even competitors were able to have a good time together without business getting in the way. Attending my first PiGs event on Wednesday was also a great experience and the chance to meet new people was fantastic. Everybody was very welcoming and I’m looking forward to the next one in Bristol in June!

FIT 2022 was a great show for ODL Europe, with a high-quality footfall and a large pipeline of new business secured. It was a great opportunity to meet customers and potential customers, as well as network with industry peers. It was the first time the industry had got back together for a face-to-face exhibition, so there was a great atmosphere – it was a fantastic business event.

Our stand showcased our strength as a business and the depth of our door offering was particularly notable, in particular the quality and reliability of the world-leading Capstone composite door slab. Also attracting a great deal of attention was the Guardsman Fire Door, the game changing door that won Best New Product of the Year at the G21 Awards.

As the UK’s leading trade exhibition for the industry, it made good business sense to sign up at the earliest opportunity. We had a great first day and it was clear the show was going to be a success so we had no hesitation in signing up for next year.

Cath Wright Director of Operations, RPS Software

It was very much a return to the FIT Show for us following a few years away, and amid the uncertainty of the pandemic and the potential audience size, it had been a big decision. I have to say we were delighted overall.

We have been developing a huge programme of market leading conservatory, orangery and garden room design software and the FIT Show was the perfect opportunity for us to launch these to the market in a face to face environment.

It is clear from the conversations we had that the conservatory market remains as vibrant as ever, and an understanding that using 3D, AR and VR products to help sell them to homeowners was truly evident.

The more installers can engage their customers in the design process, the greater the chance of converting the enquiry into a sale, and the RPS RoofWright software suite certainly supports them every step of the way in that regard. Congratulations to the FIT Show on a job really well done!

Mick Clayton CEO, GQA Qualifications

We have always felt that engagement face to face with the industry is the surest way of being able to showcase all the services GQA Qualifications offers, and the FIT Show delivered that opportunity perfectly.

Like everybody else we didn’t know quite what to expect, but it is to the credit of the FIT Show team that they were able to put on such a good show against the background of uncertainty that had been such a major part of all of our lives over the past couple of years. The team at GQA are delighted that we were able to re-engage with so many people we already know in the industry, meet new people, and have the opportunity for our staff to update themselves with the products in the market and attend key seminars to gain knowledge of market changes. Our partnership with the FIT Show has been strong from day one, and this year’s event has cemented that even further.

Dave Thomas CEO, Haffner Ltd

FIT 2022 was an amazing success for Haffner and the quality of the footfall was tremendous. We broke our own record for the amount of new business we secured from the show.

We showcased the world’s first fully seamless window fabrication thanks to Graf Synergy technology which is a gamechanger for the industry. And with live demonstrations running every two hours, it attracted much attention.

There was a general buzz throughout the show and its clear the industry has missed being able to get together and see a vast range of machinery for themselves. Fabricators of all sizes in both aluminium and PVC-U were able to discuss the packages that were right for their business.

Our stand was busy throughout the show and even though we had the largest stand in the FIT Show’s history, the return on investment was evident right from the start. We had no hesitation in signing up for next year. Congratulations to everyone involved in the superb organisation. We’ll look forward to May 2023.

Steve Haines Sales Director, Stuga

Fit 2022 was the first show for Stuga Machinery Ltd since its acquisition by the Sturtz machinery group and it was a great opportunity to show how the two companies share a quality range of machinery for the demanding fabricator. Stuga now has the full range of Sturtz welding and cleaning equipment to offer as well as sorting systems complete with Robotics. On stand were featured a vertical four head welder that demonstrated the strength and quality of the Sturtz range, a six axis robot that showed how it could select and fit window hardware and the rotary tooling module from the heart of a Stuga Flowline which depicts the secret behind the amazing flexibility and versatility of Stuga sawing & machining centres.

Like Stuga Sturtz prides itself on quality products with exceptional back-up and with Stuga engineers already training on Sturtz machines the brand will be fully backed-up directly by the Stuga workforce. Numerous sales leads are being followed up on all products in the Sturtz and Stuga range.

Jeff Dunn, Group Sales & Marketing Director, Glazerite UK Group

Business is all about building relationships and it was clear to see at this year’s FIT Show that face-to-face interaction had been missed and was very much welcomed on its return. FIT Show 2022 did not disappoint, and it was a great opportunity to meet with old faces, make new contacts, and network in a relaxed environment.

The FIT Show is a key industry event and the ideal platform to showcase new products. We had worked with DoorCo to fabricate the doors they were showcasing on their stand, and it was great to see the new Flip cassettes and GRiPCORE doors. A real highlight for me were the advancements in Smart technology from Avantis and Brisant, which will help differentiate our installers.

The atmosphere across the three days was positive and friendly, with a lot of energy considering what a tough couple of years it has been. The after-show party was also great fun after a busy day. Thank you to the organisers, and everyone who took part, for making it such a fantastic event.

Chris Reeks Director, Fentrade Aluminium Building Products Ltd

FIT Show 2022 was our debut exhibition and we were delighted to have secured so many new enquiries. It was great to see customers face-toface and to meet many potential new customers too.

Our stand showcased the newest addition to our range, the Concept Patio® 130 slide and lift-slide system from Reynaers. It attracted the attention we knew it would with a large pipeline of potential new business enquiries to follow up. Similarly, enquiries for all our aluminium products were very strong especially for our aluminium curtain walling and shop front system. The quality and calibre of the footfall was exceptional and the meaningful business conversations we had were very encouraging. The team enjoyed speaking to visitors about what makes us different and the value we can bring as a supply partner. It was a great event that has more than delivered on expectations for us. Having such a successful inaugural show with a strong return on investment, we had no hesitation in signing up for FIT 2023.

Toby Aiken Account Director, MRA Marketing

The FIT Show PR and reporting was excellent, and the stats may say it was busy, but it didn’t feel as busy as previous years, and it was a smaller show. Were some people avoiding crowds? Does the increase in better websites, digital alternatives, and familiarity with zoom, remote working and selling, make it less critical to be there in person?

As ever, there were striking stands and innovative new products to remember. Some were dotted around the edges. That’s a shame because many visitors never make it to see them on the periphery. When several systems companies take big stands, shows buzz. When they’re absent they are missed. With only three PVC-U systems companies, it was an aluminium and smart security show. It’s always good to be at the show, but is the absence of PVC-U systems companies telling us something about the future of PVC-U? Do systems companies have an obligation to lead the industry that feeds them?”

Andy Green Sales Director, Selecta Mark Walker Marketing & Design Manager, Selecta Alex Tremlett Operations Manager, Insight Data John Hewitt Founder, We Mind & Kelly Matters Guy Hubble Joint Managing Director, Regalead Dan Sullivan MD, DoorCo Ltd

Firstly, I must say what a great event FIT Show 2022 was and it felt so good to get back to a bit of normality! I must admit, we went there with an air of trepidation hanging over us, after three years of no shows, to find there was a very positive, upbeat and relaxed atmosphere about the place, one that delivered on all fronts for ourselves.

The FIT Show proved to be the ideal platform to celebrate our 40th anniversary with customers, industry friends and colleagues and it certainly didn’t disappoint! We had a good number of visitors to the stand, not only to celebrate our momentous achievement, but we saw a large volume of fabricators looking to be part of the Selecta family. There was certainly a consistent undertone to their reasoning for this and the FIT Show undoubtedly provided them with the opportunity to have that friendly chat. The quantity of quality of leads certainly surpassed our expectations! So much so, we’ve already booked up a prime position for FIT Show 2023, keeping up our proud record of exhibiting at every show to date!

Having exhibited at every previous FIT Show, and Glassex before that, it was never in doubt that Selecta would be there, especially in our 40th anniversary year!

Our main objective going into the show was to celebrate 40 years of Selecta, with our stand dressed purely for hospitality, complete with a bar to serve celebratory drinks. With no products on show it created a relaxed, friendly, and welcoming environment for all, and we were very pleased with the steady footfall over the three days. What we found was that having no products on show eliminated the ‘tyre kickers’ and those that wanted to ‘do business’ with Selecta visited our stand for that purpose, resulting in us leaving the show with a very strong book of leads! It was also good to get to back to normality, meet with people face-to-face and speak with old and new industry friends. The FIT Show was the perfect platform for this, whilst helping us to celebrate 40 years and chat to the next batch of fabricators who want to #bepartofthefamily.

The FIT Show creates the perfect opportunity for the industry to come together, and this year was no different. It was a fantastic few days where we could network and chat with our customers and colleagues.

Not only did we launch the latest State of the Industry report but we also gave a sneak preview of our trade directory and product finder for the glass and glazing industry – Insight Index.

During our business building seminars, we shared some of the key stats from our window, door and glazing industry report, including how we’ve seen almost 2000 firms removed from the market in recent years. With the volatility of the market, it’s incredibly valuable to share this industry knowledge with the FIT Show audience, and we received great responses from everyone in attendance.

We have been regular exhibitors of the FIT Show for several years now and it continues to be a great event and one we’re proud to be involved in.

Thank you to the FIT Show team for putting on a fantastic exhibition.

It was our first time exhibiting at the FIT Show as a charity, and we’re so pleased we did. As a mental health and suicide prevention charity, we have seen first-hand how tough the last two years or so have been on people’s mental health, so to be able to meet with people face to face again; to talk, to listen, and to share at such an important industry event was great.

It was a chance to thank those who have supported our charity so far and to share this year’s fundraising plans. In September, a group of us will undertake a bike ride across Europe and the United States to raise money for We Mind & Kelly Matters. The FIT Show gave us the chance to showcase the challenge, and we were even able to recruit some new riders and sponsors. It was a great show, and it allowed us to talk to people, not only about what we do but also to check in with visitors on their own mental health.

FIT Show was an exceptionally busy few days, I think partially because of the three-year break we’ve had since the last show, which meant there were lots of people keen to see new products.

As a company whose range is sold on its aesthetic value, it was great to be able to get our Decorative Door Products back in front of the industry, so they could see up close the stunning detail of our glass designs and vibrancy of our ColorSpray coatings. Thanks to a very strong presence from the composite door market, RegaLead products featured on a number of other stands around the show too.

Eight of our top ten customers visited the stand, which was great to see and is testament to the number of industry leaders that were at the show and there was a good mixture of smaller fabricators and installers there too.

We’ve exhibited at every FIT Show, which I think proves the importance of the event, for both our business and the industry.

For DoorCo, our return to FIT was extremely positive and we achieved exactly what we set out to do – demonstrate to the industry what DoorCo 2022 looks like. Bringing together our house of brands, new innovations and technology certainly gave visitors insight into the world of DoorCo and cemented our position as the UK’s leading composite door manufacturer. GRiPCORE and FLiP generated a lot of interest, as well as the latest trends in design, PAiNT colour and GLAZiNG. However, the true DoorCo experience goes beyond the product offering. DoorCo is a family run, independently owned business; we’re agile, flexible and able to make decisions that benefit all stakeholders, quickly. This versatility was apparent and appreciated during many conversations throughout the exhibition.

Compared to previous years, the scale of the show was disappointing but in terms of visitors and engagement on the stand, there was a good mix of serious business and fun. The DoorCo X Kubu party was definitely the place to be on Wednesday night and people were literally queuing around the block to sample the authentic Korean tapas we served throughout the show. All in all, for DoorCo, the FIT Show was a resounding success!

Jon Vanstone Chair, Certass Ltd

FIT Show is one of the best opportunities for Certass to connect face-to-face with our members. We have built a great online community through our award-winning Facebook forum, but there is nothing quite like having a chat over a coffee.

Much of my time at the show was spent talking to installers about the looming date of the new Building Regulations, getting genuine feedback on the Certass support offer and finding out what issues are affecting members most so that I can take that information back to my Government discussions.

I think what was most striking about the exhibition overall was how busy it was. So many installers had made the decision to take a day off the tools, not an easy choice when you consider that many of our installers have order books filled until late summer. It was also great to see so many new software and systems on show, that are making it easier for installers to run their businesses.

Jay Patel Director, Everglade Windows

Everglade Windows joined our friends at Business Pilot on their stand as a partner for the duration of the show and I’m so glad we didn’t miss out.

After so long away from exhibitions, we were pleasantly surprised to see so many visitors at the show – it was a really busy few days and great to see installers and industry peers taking time out of their hectic schedules to look at new products and services that will help to develop their business. FIT Show offers a great opportunity to meet new people from the industry, but it also offers an ideal opportunity for us to reconnect with customers and suppliers – particularly on Late Night Wednesday, when Everglade Windows hosted a cocktail party on the Business Pilot stand.

What really stuck out at the show was how much smart technology products were being demonstrated and I think that’s a good sign of the way our market is headed.

Cassie Watters Sales and Marketing Manager, SupaLite

It was great to be back exhibiting at the FIT Show where we caught up with our existing and prospective customers face-to-face.

Events like this create the perfect opportunity for us to demonstrate our full portfolio of products, launch brand new systems and announce the latest innovations to our existing range. We’ve been a long-standing supporter of the FIT Show, but this year was a particularly special one for us because it marked ten years since SupaLite launched into the retrofit and new conservatory market. It may have also been the first time many installers would have seen our brand-new flat roof orangery system – ILite. As a company that is driven to design and develop first-class products for our customers, it was fantastic to see the reaction and interest we received during the exhibition. In fact, we had lots of really positive conversations with potential new customers. It was great to see the return of the FIT Show, and we’re extremely proud to be among the other incredible companies who exhibited this year.

Andrew Scott CEO and Founder, Purplex Marketing

Exhibiting at the FIT Show has always been an important date in the calendar for us at Purplex and it was amazing to finally be back after so many years.

The 2022 event was bigger and better than before. Yes, we did lots of business but it was also great to catch-up with clients, colleagues and old friends and spend time with my team. The glazing industry is 100% a people industry and it’s so amazing that live events are finally back.

The market is getting tougher, so our expert team delivered informative seminars and interactive demos to showcase the very best marketing techniques and tools to successfully build a business and generate leads. Visitors were also introduced to Purplex Partners Augmented Reality Creations (ARC) and Pricepoint innovative software systems. A huge well done to Nickie West, Jess Hardisty and the entire FIT Show team for a fantastic event. I can’t wait for the Glazing Summit 2022 conference in October, where the industry will come together once again.

David Thornton Chair, The Window Company (Contracts) Ltd

If you’re judging the success of a show by the business it generates, then the good news is that we have placed orders with two companies we met for the first time this year at FIT and are in negotiation with a third.

Of course, it was also good to be able to catch up and talk product with people we already knew (even if some had changed companies since FIT in 2019) and see how some of the fledging start-ups from the last show had really grown in the interim. We made some good contacts with first time exhibitors too.

For us, it was a very useful few days and there seemed to a general consensus amongst all the companies I spoke to that it was a worthwhile event. Credit is certainly due to the organisers for their tenacity in making it all happen. It would be good to see the return of some of the big profile suppliers and more of the foreign exhibitors next year, but we will certainly be back!

Mike Winters Managing Director, Pricepoint

Nothing matches the value of meeting face to face with potential customers, and the FIT Show certainly allowed us to do just that.

Thanks to a partnership with Purplex Marketing, Pricepoint was on display at the leading agency’s stand, showcasing the unique window and door designer, pricing and quoting tool, and full CRM and lead management system that’s already proving a success with installers across the country. Pricepoint was also on show at AdminBase’s stand to demonstrate how the software can integrate with a customer’s Adminbase CRM.

FIT provided us with a brilliant launchpad to showcase Pricepoint, and to respond to valuable enquiries. I also enjoyed seeing the vast range of other fantastic products on display – the FIT Show has always been a great way to show the industry what’s new, giving us an opportunity to reflect on current trends and adapt our offering accordingly to meet customer demand.

It was a fantastic show, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what FIT 2023 has to offer.

Simon Scholes Managing Director, VEKA Recycling

VEKA Recycling attended the FIT Show as guests of our sister company VEKA PLC and alongside the Independent Network, the support network for VEKA installers. This gave us direct access to fabricators and more importantly, retail installers, which enabled us to gauge attitudes towards recycling from a range of perspectives, including those of homeowners.

Although anecdotal – we are undertaking research amongst retail installers to gain insights into their attitudes towards recycling of PVC-U – we learned that installers who recycle old PVC-U frames are becoming more proactive in promoting this to homeowners; and that homeowners are increasingly demanding to know what happens to the windows being replaced in their homes. This is hugely encouraging.

Mike Bygrave Director, Roseview Windows

It’s a week since the FIT Show finished and my feet haven’t touched the ground. Which is lucky, as they’re still sore.

It’s customary for exhibitors like us to say how great the show was. But I think this time we all approached it with a little trepidation. We didn’t know how things would go or how many people would turn up. We weren’t sure what to expect. Fortunately, thanks to the incredible efforts of the FIT Show team and ALL the exhibitors, the show was a real success. The show may have been smaller than usual, but our stand was busy throughout. The buzz was back.

With my Roseview hat on, we saw a great mix of existing customers and potential new ones. Everything we showed went down very well and we had some great conversations. In particular, our smart technology collaboration with REHAU was particularly well received. With my industry hat on, it was just nice to be back; meeting, talking and showing – just like we used to.

Rhonda Ridge Managing Director, AdminBase

We experienced the perfect demonstration of why we go to exhibitions: as I was talking to someone who was showing interest for the first time, I had an existing customer recommending that he sign up as AdminBase had been such a success for them. But we also had a great many very happy customers visit us, which was also very rewarding. As a substantially onlinebased business, FIT Show provided us with the opportunity to meet people personally when usually and especially in the past couple of years, it has all been online.

We set the stand up to be open and welcoming, with as many demonstration points as possible and that proved incredibly successful, especially our new tie in with PricePoint, which offers superb graphics and features to support salespeople in their presentations to homeowners; again, being at a live exhibition allowed us to show this to so many more people than we would otherwise have reached in such a short time. Visitors LOVED it!

For us, FIT Show was a gamechanger!

Adrian Barraclough Chairman, Quickslide

We took the opportunity very late in the day to exhibit at FIT…and we are so pleased that we did! We wanted to re-connect with people and that was what our stand was about: open, with plenty of seating, and very little product. And it worked incredibly well as we met so many customers that we have not yet been able to get round to see and many more who we met for the first time.

Everywhere you turned at FIT Show you saw innovation, great characters, positive people, and there was a tremendous energy. Visitors to our stand found the show valuable and full of new and exciting products and solutions and were impressed by the variety. The people behind the ‘We Mind and Kelly Matters’ cycle challenge which is raising awareness of mental health, to Haffner’s hugely impressive array of complex machines, showed the diversity of what could be found at FIT this year. We have booked for FIT Show next year without any hesitation; this was a great event.

Anda Gregory Chief Development Officer, GGF / FENSA

For both GGF and FENSA, the FIT Show was a very successful week. We had huge numbers visiting both stands, consisting of existing members asking for guidance and advice alongside a raft of companies applying to join. The seminars we gave on Building Regulations throughout the week were packed out and extremely well received. Those conversations continued on our stands as visitors to the show sought out the expertise required to help their company adapt to the changes coming on 15th June.

The overall atmosphere across the week felt incredibly positive. The industry hasn’t had a chance to come together since the pandemic and it felt fantastic to see so many friendly faces and colleagues who we hadn’t seen in such a long time. The opportunity for us to engage with members across the industry on this scale is always welcomed and we came away from the week knowing that while the industry has challenges ahead the very best people are in place to tackle them head on.

Danny Williams Managing Director, GERDA, in partnership with Pioneer

I admit that I was a little apprehensive about booking FIT Show this year: after Covid 19 would people attend, was it too soon, had industry habits altered? And it’s a significant investment.

We had a new product from a brand - GERDA – that is new to the UK home improvement market. So despite my apprehensions, we had to be at FIT for people to see and try the products, which are steel and aluminium-faced, high quality residential doors, for themselves. You simply cannot convey the quality, finish and feel of such products by any other means.

We comfortably exceeded every hope that I had for the show, taking just under 200 solid leads, which is more than we could have hoped for had we put a couple of reps on the road for two years. We saw installers from every area of the UK, including Scotland, Ireland and even the Channel Islands, which I might just follow up myself! There was such a positive buzz at FIT: It’s great to be back!

Roll on 2023!

Stephen Beresford Marketing Director, Head of Marketing at REHAU UK

The pandemic changed an awful lot about how the industry works and networks, so it was great to see a return to normality with a very well-attended FIT Show. REHAU was showcasing its new integrated window and door alarm system, SMART GUARD, alongside one of our key fabricator partners, Roseview, and we very pleased to see pre-COVID levels of footfall around the Roseview stand.

While it is possible to measure interest in a new product or solution through other means, nothing is more emphatic than actually seeing people interact with it, and offer their opinion. Feedback was very positive both for this new product and in general, and our team was able to get out and about to see new and existing contacts at the show.

The seminars on offer at the show were also very informative – overall, it was an excellent event, and it was great to finally meet up with each other and establish or reinforce invaluable networks.