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Product category: Windows - Aluminium and Steel
News Release from: Beaufort Secure Design | Subject: Aluminium systems
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial Team on 14 March 2007

Choice opens up markets for aluminium

Nigel Yates, Managing Director of Beaufort Secure Design discusses how offering a choice of aluminium systems can open up new market opportunities for fabricators.

Nigel Yates, Managing Director of Beaufort Secure Design discusses how offering a choice of systems can open up new market opportunities for fabricators Inevitably, as a volume manufacturer of aluminium systems I have a long-term vested interest in growing the market in line with its potential

However, I'm not blind to the need to remain objective when looking at the window, door and conservatory industry as a whole, and specifically when seeking to pull together an overview that highlights market opportunities.

Some time ago, we at Beaufort spotted the potential in what we call 'switch selling'.

In other words putting higher specification aluminium systems alongside PVC-U.

This powerful sales tool allows a fabricator to start with aluminium, a higher value product that offers different features, and then as necessary switch to a lower valued alternative without losing credibility or integrity.

This form of selling is becoming more and more popular with fabricators looking to capitalise on the continued growth and success of aluminium systems.

Adding aluminium to their sales offering gives fabricators an attractive alternative profit centre through adding value and differentiation with a higher margin product.

It also gives customers greater choice and the opportunity to use a higher spec system.

In order to assist fabricators, we already had in place customer support plans that made good business sense to those companies looking to switch sell.

Where necessary we have been prepared to step in with operator training, advice on production lay-outs and how to achieve high efficiency, optimum use of materials and short lead times.

With our knowledge of manufacturing we already knew there is little difference between the skills needed for PVC-U fabrication and those needed when using aluminium.

Perhaps with handling and machining more attention to detail is needed, but otherwise it's not a big jump from one to the other.

With our buying power as major supplier, we can also assist fabricators when it comes to procurement, whilst our in-house expertise with software and CNC machinery means we can assist where necessary with conversion or commissioning.

Now we have a nationwide network of fabricators and installers carrying both aluminium and PVC-U, and simultaneously reaping the benefits we anticipated they would when we started this drive to open up the potential market for aluminium systems.

The network offers an ideal supply chain for those companies that wish to enter this sector for the first time but need to develop a sustained demand for aluminium products before considering fabrication.

This is backed up by a complete marketing and sales support package available through Beaufort and its fabricators which includes showroom samples, point of sale brochures, sales training and, perhaps most importantly, 25 years of understanding the sector.

While choice can successfully drive an expanding market, however, I would be the first to admit that we had also spotted the build-up of a trend towards aluminium in the commercial sector.

This is coming up from the specifier - be it architect or designer.

With its slim, neat sightlines and high glossy finish, aluminium offers something different to the specifer.

Even in the domestic market where we have seen an increase in aluminium from 4 to 5% in the last 5 years, aesthetics, changes in demand, product expectation together with increasingly strict regulations governing energy efficiency have all positively influenced the development of aluminium systems.

It is also thanks to organisations like the CAB and their Chrysalis programme that have played a major role in promoting aluminium against a backdrop of challenging market conditions which has mainly affected the PVC-U replacement market.

Beaufort values membership of these organisations highly and is actively involved in many of the sub committees that drive the organisations forward.

A recent 12 page colour booklet 'Choosing Aluminium' has been very well received by sales organisations and will prove to be a lasting legacy for our sector.

At Beaufort, what we've done is to nurture this increased demand in aluminium and give it fertile ground in which to blossom by ensuring the outlets exist that offer the choice the industry wants.

Two typical examples of such outlets are top fabricators Albro and Trade Plas.

Albro director, Alan Brown, sums things up: "A lot of customers who see aluminium windows in our showroom immediately say - 'That's what I want!'.

Once they see the many features and benefits of the modern aluminium windows we stock, even those who will not have considered aluminium previously, recognise it's completely different to the perceptions they had of something grey, 'sweats' and has to be fitted into a hardwood frame".

At Trade Plas, former winners of the Conservatory of the Year Award, aluminium has played a vital role in them penetrating the UK and USA conservatory sectors.

This has been assisted by using aluminium for the vertical walls as an alternative to PVC-U which, together with the choice of colours, design detailing and neat slim coupling posts and bay poles all add to the attraction of an all aluminium conservatory.

The inherent strength of the profile has also influenced the size of the conservatory that Trade Plas can build and recent structures fabricated and installed in the USA proved the integrity of aluminium and the expertise of a specialist like Trade Plas.

Both of these companies, and many others besides, are benefiting from the ground aluminium is making up since falling back in popularity during the 80's and 90's.

I'm sure this is due in some considerable degree to the fact that aluminium lends itself to such a high level of recyclability.

According to the European Aluminium Association more than 33% of the world's output is produced from recycled material.

That in itself is an impressive figure, and one that is bolstered by statistics like the reported 96% of the aluminium taken out of the old Wembley Football Stadium has gone for recycling.

Product development is also playing a key role.

Sustainability, environmental impact and the far better thermal performance offered by our Advanced System range all lead to a product that meets customer aspirations.

Features such as internally glazed, no dummy vents, built in trickle ventilation lead to lower production time, higher USP's and a competitively priced product achieved by material, labour and glass cost savings.

As long as the industry continues to be committed to environment issues I see our market share in the window, door and conservatory market continuing to increase.

The reason I say this is because the entire building industry is looking at environmental sustainability, whole life costs, and thermal performance as part of the package.

And it's not just coming from the public sector where I think it's fair to say the impetus originated.

It's coming from the private sector too.

We see huge potential right across the board from the domestic to the commercial sector both public and private.

With an estimated 73% share of the GBP3 billion commercial market and growth in social housing, new build brown field regeneration, luxury apartment developments, as well as the education and health sectors, it is certainly an exiting time for aluminium.

Long term performance, colour finish options and appearance have all combined to bring aluminium back as a force to be reckoned with in the fenestration industry.

These factors all compare favourably with PVC-U, which has seen its share of challenges arising in recent years with a market that has entered maturity and indeed saturation in the domestic replacement market.

Hence adding aluminium to a fabricators sales offering makes even greater sense.

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