Rapierstar’s 20-year (emerald anniversary) partnership with the hardware distributor Window Ware has proved invaluable in ensuring fastener supplies to its fabricator customers have continued reliably and consistently, the business claims, throughout the exceptionally busy home improvement boom of the past year. Thanks to Window Ware’s extensive experience of supplying its loyal customer base, and Rapierstar’s ability to increase supply to accommodate peaks in demand, the partnership has been able to accurately forecast customer requirements and maintain a high level of service, they say. This has provided customers with much-needed supply dependability and peace of mind – just what busy firms need to help them meet increased levels of manufacturing and installation.
Since the company was established in 1987, Window Ware has chosen to invest in partnering with major brands across the window and door industry, to strengthen the last link in the supply chain for customers and ensure those brands are properly represented with passion and knowledge. Today, the company stocks more than 5,000 lines, including Rapierstar-branded fasteners such as the complete range of StarPVCU screws for window and door manufacturing, StarFix frame fixings and StarTurn decking screws.
Window Ware serves customers across the UK with a ‘right products, right place, right time’ focus. This is reflected by its on-time, in-full (otif) delivery rate, which achieved 94.7% in February, despite the challenges the pandemic created. Sam Nuckey, Window Ware’s managing director, said: “The home improvement boom of the past 12 months has tested building product supply chains across the board, but we’ve been able to protect our customers from major issues by having the right supply partners in place – like Rapierstar – who we can rely on to deliver.
“They also support us with specialist technical and product training, and provide guidance on all kinds of key topics including how the right fastener can support PAS24 testing. With Rapierstar’s help, our teams are always sharpening their knowledge and delivering sound advice so customers can be sure they’re using the right screw for the application every time.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a noticeable growth in the number of customers manufacturing premium systems and products, such as mechanically jointed PVC-U windows, or upgrading the spec of their handles and other hardware. Rapierstar’s support has been invaluable here too, giving our customers confidence in selecting the correct fasteners for these innovative products so they deliver a superior quality finished window or door.”
Mark Calpin, Rapierstar’s technical consultant, added: “Window Ware shares our goal of ensuring manufacturers and installers have access to the technical information, resources and products they need to make the right decisions about the fasteners they use. It is important to realise that even though fasteners make up only a tiny proportion of the cost of a finished window, they can make a huge difference to the long-term performance of the product. That is why it is imperative to get these components right from the very outset.”
Rapierstar claims to offer the industry’s widest range of products to fabricators of all the major PVC-U and aluminium profile systems. Operating from its 100,000ft² warehouse and distribution centre in Cheshire, the company stocks more than 1bn items, including a wide range of consumables plus fasteners for timber joinery, decking and roofline. Discover more at www.rapierstar.com.
