3
EDITOR’S COMMENT
from system houses to hardware specialists and pretty much
everyone in between, for their thoughts on the year ahead, and
while many are optimistic of a mini-boom, there is also some
caution against not getting too carried away.
Aluk’s Russell Yates for instance, is positive about the new
year and says that there could be a surge in activity following
pent up demand, but adds that the entire supply chain needs to
be ready in order to cope with any ‘Brexit Boom’.
Roseview’s marketing director, Mike Bygrave, adds that while
the election result has provided a way forward with regards to
Brexit, it is by no means a ‘done deal’ even if it has provided
some ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ – he’s confi dent that
consumers will feel the same and looks forward to a return to
stability and optimism in 2020.
Brisant Secure’s Nick Dutton adds that it is with a ‘sigh
of relief ’ that we head into the new year, with political and
economic stability, and Nick Bailey, business development
manager at Business Micros, agrees that 2020 promises to be an
‘exciting year’, not just for his company, but for the industry as
a whole.
Our New Year Messages start on page 12, and for further
insight into the PVC-U fabrication market we also have a report
from Insight Data – one that reveals some very interesting facts
and fi gures – on page 58.
I hope you enjoy the issue and wish everyone all the best for
2020.
Editor
A FAST10
ORDER TO
DELIVERY FROM
Happy new year, and welcome to the ‘Roaring Twenties’.
Will we see a repeat of the economic growth from
100 years ago, one that was driven by the recovery
following WWI, deferred spending and a boom in
construction and growth in consumer goods? Well, possibly,
but while many are talking of a mini Brexit boom following the
General Election result in December, I don’t think it means that
installers can expect a sudden infl ux of homeowners, dancing
around showrooms to the Charleston, just yet.
A recent report from Barclaycard – which is an indicator
of nearly half the UK’s credit and debit card transactions –
did indeed suggest that there was an upturn in consumer
confi dence after the election, and while just over 40% said
they felt ‘upbeat’, up 10% from November, spending over
the Christmas period was up just 1% year on year. Which is
nothing to shout about, when you take infl ation into account.
The report went on to outline that 70% of UK consumers
remain upbeat about their household fi nances, the primary
reason for this being greater certainty around Brexit and
politics in general, but added that just over 20% are planning
to buy a big-ticket item. In fact, around half said that if they
found themselves with extra cash to burn, they would rather
put it aside for a rainy day or pay off existing debts. The director
of Barclaycard summed up that consumer confi dence is ‘fi nally
improving’ and while there is still some reluctance to spend on
big ticket items, ‘the mood seems to be changing’.
How will this all translate for sales of windows, doors and
conservatories? Well, as is traditional for the January issue of
GGP, we have asked 40 companies from across the industry,
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