Start-Up Fabricator Beats Early Targets

At just 14 weeks into their manufacturing life, they were producing 180 windows a week, while the forecast for this very early stage in the company's development was just 60.

'Holy Trinity' Means Start-Up Fabricator Beats Early Targets 'Consistent Quality,' 'Personal Touch,' 'Caring For The Customer's Individual Needs.' Those three key criteria are helping to push Kommerling start-up fabricator H.W.L.

Trade Frames Ltd.

well ahead of its business plan targets.

"That's what we demand from our suppliers, so that's what our customers expect from us," says director Mark Haley.

And that philosophy has led to their order book growing at a far faster rate than they had originally foreseen.

At just 14 weeks into their manufacturing life, they were producing 180 windows a week, while the forecast for this very early stage in the company's development was just 60.

Set up with an initial investment of ?250,000, H.W.L.

employs a total of 15 people.

The company's new state-of-the-art window machinery includes a Pertici electronic saw, Haffner auto bead saw, URBAN three-head welder and URBAN corner cleaner.

However, if growth continues at the current rate, first-year turnover will be £1.3m, putting it well into profit, and giving the opportunity for further investment in additional machinery.

With that anticipated future investment, the 10,000 square-foot factory at Armley, in Leeds, has capacity to produce 500 frames a week -- and while that is as far ahead as its directors want to look at the moment, they know for sure that they never want to get too big that they lose the qualities which they believe have made the company so appealing in its infancy.

Having left the relative safety of high-ranking jobs with established window companies in the Midlands and the South, to create H.W.L., Mark and his co-directors Phil Langton and Tim Wilkens, are frequently asked why they have set up a small manufacturing business when the window industry seems to be moving away from small and medium sized fabricators towards so-called 'super-fabricators.' The answer revolves around providing the windows trade with a 'Holy Trinity' which the directors say are often missing in the super-fabricator's repertoire -- consistent product quality, the personal touch, and individual customer care.

"By their very nature, large super-fabricators just don't have the time to devote to the personal requirements of each individual customer," says Mark.

"Super-fabricators generally provide windows in bulk quantity which serves certain sections of the industry very well." However, he says H.W.L.'s customers at the quality end of the market have a very different outlook.

"For example, one of our customers installs windows in New Build properties in the ?500,000 to ?3m price bracket, and needs the assurance that every single window will be of the consistently same high quality.

And installers of replacement windows value the personal touch and knowing that we manufacture their windows to their own specific requirements." Mark feels another reason the company is exceeding early expectations is its decision to exclusively manufacture the renowned classically-curved Kommerling Connoisseur window system from the European market-leading PVC-U extruder, profine International Profile Group.

"The fact that all Kommerling profiles in the UK have been extruded using Calcium-Zinc stabilisers instead of Lead for the last three years is a major selling point for us.

"As a start-up company we needed something different to offer on top of our personal touch, individual customer care, and a recognised quality product.

The Lead-free Connoisseur gave us that extra edge in the quality window market, and ensured that our order books were full right from the start.

"When people change their cars they look to upgrade to a better, higher-spec model whenever possible, and the same is now true with windows.

Several of our medium to large installers across the country are replacing existing PVC-U windows which were originally fitted around 10 to 15 years ago.

"As well as wanting to have one of the most thermally-efficient and environmentally-friendly windows on the market, many of our installers' domestic customers now prefer Connoisseur's classically-curved appearance to the rather boring flat or chamfered look which has dominated the market for so long." While H.W.L.'s directors are looking for controlled growth, they have no intention of becoming a super-fabricator.

Says Mark: "Super-fabricators have their place in the industry -- but they're definitely not for everyone.

Our customers tell us they prefer to deal with a company which understands their own particular, individual requirements." They chose Leeds to be their base because of its cost-effectiveness for a manufacturing facility, the quality of the area's workforce, and the City's proximity to the motorway network for their nationwide distribution.

Says Sales Director Tim Wilkens: "We now have three delivery lorries on the road all the time.

And the way things are going, it could well become four in the foreseeable future.".

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