TRADE NEWS £250K investment to ‘bring down lead times’ ‘Record-breaking’ sales Phoenix Doors, part of the Masco UK Window Group, has reported ‘recordbreaking’ sales of its GRP composite doors and PVC-U door panels in the final quarter of 2014. Sales in October were reportedly the highest recorded in the firm’s 21-year history. The Cambridgeshire based manufacturer regularly produces more than 600 composite doors per week with door panel production averaging around 1,350 per week. Demand for panels continues to hold steady, according to Haydon Statham, sales director of Phoenix Doors. He commented: “November 2014 was not as high a figure as October because it was three working days shorter. But incoming orders on a daily basis were actually higher than in October. “October 2014 has broken all records with the biggest-ever sales figures for one month in the company’s history. It’s fair to say it’s been our best run-up to Christmas and these record sales levels, naturally, have been matched by record production performance. Our employees in both composite and panel production deserve the utmost praise for their hard work in helping to make this happen.” Haydon pointed out that recent investment by the Group in the form of new plant and equipment has also contributed to this success, with further expenditure planned throughout 2015. • GRP composite door supplier, Distinction Doors, is celebrating 10 years in business. Drew Wright, founder and chairman of the company, said: “It is a great achievement for our company to have reached this significant milestone. “Everyone who has worked at the company in the past or who works for us today has played a part in our success and now is a good opportunity to thank them for their efforts. “We should also thank our customers past and present because we could not have achieved anything without them.” • UKAS accredited testing specialist, Wintech Engineering, is partnering with German test laboratory, EPH Dresden. EPH Dresden is a worldwide active research institute providing accredited testing, monitoring and certification services as well as expert advice, worldwide. Gailord Nepp, MD of Wintech Engineering said: “EPH is a highly regarded and wellestablished test laboratory and joining forces with them allows Wintech’s customers to enjoy an even more extensive range of testing solutions for their window, door and facade products.” • A year after it was officially acquired by Caldwell UK, hardware supplier, Cotswold Architectural Products, has recorded ‘strong’ trading figures, with its EZ easi-clean range of egress stays reportedly helping to drive growth. Following the acquisition, an investment strategy saw it commission a new EZ stay line to cope with rising demand for this product. At the end of last year, it was reported that ‘steady growth has been maintained’, ensuring that Cotswold would end 2014 having achieved an increase in sales ‘above anyone’s expectations’, compared to the end of 2013. 14 www.ggp.com January 2015 68mm sales at 3-year high Universal Arches says it has seen ‘incredible growth’ over the last two years, and the recent purchase of its premises in St Helens and plans to invest a further £250,000 during 2015, will help support this. During the last decade, the bending company has pioneered the use of 3D computer modelling, helped to eliminate the use of hand made templates in 76% of jobs, implemented a new direct collect and delivery service and launched fully glazed and coloured frames. Universal Arches is currently manufacturing 65 hand made frames per day, which will reportedly take sales to in excess of £2million in the company’s current trading year, equating to an estimated 65% market share. The company hopes that the £250,000 investment will help to reduce lead times in 2015. Leon Day, managing director of Universal Arches, said: “Without question, our pedigree and finished product is the envy of the bending sector and market demand has seen our sales nearly double in the last two years. For 2015, our investment plans will help bring down our lead times and make us more efficient within the confines of our ISO 9001:2008 certification.” In brief Doorco, the Macclesfield based door specialist, renamed in mid 2014 from Capstone Doors, is reporting a threeyear high in sales of its popular Capstone 68mm product across both blanks and prepped supplies. Originally offered as a premium door, the ‘significantly higher’ thermal, weather and security performance, coupled with ease of fitting and adjustment, is said to have broadened the appeal of the Capstone 68mm, as installers and in turn, homeowners, realise the value for money the option presents. Doorco has also continuously boosted available stock to include six panel; four panel long; four panel blank; Craftsman; 3/4 Lite; and flush versions, as blanks or prepped product. ODL’s Trisys cassettes are said to offer excellent air and water resistance and the ability to re-glaze. Prepped doors are available for Winkhaus’s Edge Lock & Hinge system or the Exitex eurogroove lock edge system. Alternatively, DoorCo prepares doors to replicate a PVC-U sash to utilise standard 16mm locks. “From being offered initially as a premium product to give our customers additional market opportunities, our 68mm range has become very popular for homes in all price ranges and sectors,” confirmed Doorco MD, Dan Sullivan. “The higher basic price of these products is nothing when the advantages and options are made clear to customers,” he added.
GGP January 2015
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