Annual Predictions
‘ Happy , healthy , and hopeful new year ’
Director of Clearview Steve Sidebottom takes a look back at 2020 for the magazine , and in an introduction to January ’ s ‘ Annual Prediction ’ special feature makes his own forecasts when it comes to Clearview Group , its customers , its readers , and the industry as a whole .
» “ LIKE SO MANY OTHERS , WHEN IT comes to production , the majority of 2020 was conducted remotely for our team . Whilst , since mid-March , the year was extremely challenging , we continued to produce both print and online editions for all of our titles - Clearview , Pro Installer , The Locksmith Journal - with no gaps in production , even over the summer months when some publications traditionally take a break . From a housekeeping point of view , this was a credit to every team member as individuals - whether on furlough , working shorter hours , working longer hours , and conducting meetings over Teams rather than around the boardroom table - and the systems we have in place which have enabled this to happen .
“ The continuation of production however , also served to further highlight how important communication really is . Fenestration is often referred to as a ‘ small world ’ and during the very strange past nine months , we were impressed but not surprised at how transparent everyone wanted to be ; from fabricator to fitter , manufacturer to machinist , specifier to supplier . This desire for channels of communication to remain open was heartening on a personal level and reassuring from a professional standpoint . Our own company is in good health considering the situation , and this is due to the determination and diligence of all the brands and businesses that both write for , and read our pages .
“ Looking ahead to 2021 , we anticipate the Brexit situation will keep our business feature filled for some time to come , and will be conscious to keep our readers up-to-date with the supply chain situation , regarding both the EU and the burgeoning demand from homeowners on home shores . When it comes to the design and development of products , again we have had no shortage of information coming through and continue
to stay at the cutting edge of doors , windows , conservatories , and roofing products , whether they come from PVCu , aluminium , composite , timber or steel customers . And , last but not least , the ‘ faces of fenestration ’, we ’ re happy to say are always in constant communication with us to share their expert comment and experiences throughout Covid , and beyond , which we , in turn will share right here . Maybe we ’ ll even get to see some of them ‘ face-to-face ’ as events and exhibitions will surely start to take place again in the coming months .
“ As for our own developments , you ’ ll have noticed this magazine looked a little different on your desk or doormat this month . Whilst our online platforms are popular , our research shows that readers and customers emphatically still want to see a printed copy of our magazines , so , in a first , and very important step on our own ‘ eco journey ’, we teamed up with VEKA Recycling on a range of sustainable wrappers . This is something we predict will be a trendsetter for many other titles across the industry and throughout publishing as a whole .
“ From all at Clearview and to all at Clearview , I ’ d like to wish everyone a very sincere happy , healthy and hopeful new year .”
The aim won ’ t change in 2021
Ged Ryan , CEO of HOPPE ( UK ):
» HOPPE ( UK )’ S AIM IN 2021 IS the same as always : to add value to the supply chain by ensuring we provide a suite of reliable , high quality products at an appropriate range of price points , complete with the right technical attributes and testing .
We ’ ll also be focussing on supporting and developing our people to ensure they can support our customers . We make a huge investment in training to make sure staff are multiskilled , including helping staff achieve the internationally respected GAI qualifications and continuously updating their knowledge via CPD .
Nearly a third of the UK team has been with the business for over 10 years , with two staff achieving their 25 years ’ service award in 2020 . The loyalty of the HOPPE ( UK ) team is at the heart of our success and first-class customer service .
On the product side , of course there will be plenty to talk about , including new developments with our SecuSan ® range , an antibacterial and antimicrobial surface for door and window handles , that we hope to share in the early half of the year .
www . hoppe . com
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