Annual Predictions
STRONG YEAR AHEAD
Dekko Sales Director Kurt Greatrex looks to the future following a rollercoaster year …
» THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE SEEN a trading period like no other .
The welcome boom in demand brought on by a combination of Brexit and the pandemic was of course welcomed by all , but soon saw everyone in the industry battling against a supply chain crisis , extended lead times , material shortages and price increases .
At Dekko , we ’ ve spent this time adapting the business in order to continue delivering the best service possible to our customers .
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we ’ ve shown our commitment to tackling the crisis by starting an apprenticeship programme
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Key investments
18 months ago , we invested in a new 25,000 square foot factory dedicated to the production of Räum , our exclusive aluminium range .
A total manufacturing capacity of 80,000 square feet combined with trusted relationships with key suppliers meant lead times of Räum , as well as the Residence Collection and Infinity , our two leading uPVC ranges , were kept as lean as possible .
Another big issue facing the industry is the growing skills gap , and in recent months , we ’ ve shown our commitment to tackling the crisis by starting an apprenticeship programme .
Our new apprentices have taken on different roles , including HR , manufacturing and engineering , and by taking them on , we ’ re upskilling young workers and giving them an opportunity to learn on the job , with the long-term goal of developing a skilled workforce that will contribute to the industry .
Thanks to careful investment and strategic planning , we ’ ve experienced our best-ever 12-month period , recording a 40 % sales increase since September 2020 , despite all the challenges faced .
Forward thinking With a strong sales record matched with an equally strong and loyal customer base , we ’ re in a very solid position moving forward , and at Dekko , we plan to continue that success well into 2022 .
While the market has changed considerably in the past two years , we ’ ve adapted our business in order to support our customers as much as we possibly can .
From a factory expansion which helped to ramp up production and keep lead times to a minimum , to hiring apprentices and investing in our future , helping our customers has always been paramount .
Looking ahead , we will be investing in a new CRM software which will allow us to manage everything from customer enquiries and quotes to production and supply .
We are also planning several other key investments in the business in the next 12 months , which will see increased production , new products added to our offering , and a general onwards and upwards approach that centres around our valued customers .
I don ’ t see the boom in demand for home improvement products slowing down any time soon , but come the new year , I do predict that supply chain issues will calm down significantly , allowing those at all levels of the industry room to recover , improve , and come back even stronger than before .
It may be a long time before the industry returns to what it was pre-pandemic , but as we adjust , the team at Dekko is always grateful to both our loyal customers and our reliable suppliers for their continued support , and we very much look forward to continuing these relationships into what I ’ m certain will be a strong and prosperous 2022 .
www . dekkowindows . com
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM JANUARY 2022
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