Clearview Midlands December 2013 - Issue 145

compositedoors CLEARVIEW EXCLUSIVE No surprises Nick Dutton, Managing Director of Door-Stop. TAKING THE LEAD Robert Palmer of Palmer Market Research gives a more detailed insight into the trends behind the latest composite research… “Long expected; and now it’s happened. Composites have taken the lead in the 1.3 million domestic entrance door market. Their 38% share compares with 35% for PVC-U panel doors. Composites were first introduced into the UK through the social housing refurbishment market. In 1993 they accounted for about 10% of that market; today it is about 70%. New build was more of a struggle for composites as housebuilders preferred the cheaper option of steel faced doors. But as they have become more competitively priced and the demands of housebuilders better understood, so that share has now shot up to 40%. The home improvement market, which is 20% bigger than the other two markets put together, has been a harder nut to crack. In the direct sell sector PVC-U trade fabricators supplying the window market were, and still are, able to supply entrance doors cheaply and quickly to installers. But as prices became more competitive and supply more “accessible” so composites have been able to overcome those disadvantages. A third of this market is now composites. But it has been in that part of the home improvement market served by merchants and DIY outlets that continues to be the biggest challenge for composites. In total it is about the same size as the direct sell market, but composites account for less than 10%. Wood still leads this market. But PVC-U panel doors are far from finished. Proponents are fighting back with, for instance, improved infill panels and matching frames to satisfy the growing demand for good looking doors. And they still have the advantage of being produced by increasingly efficient PVC-U trade fabricators. And all materials will be helped by the overall market grow ???????????????????)?????????????????????????)??????????????????t()Q??????????????????????????????()Q????????A?????????????)??????????? ???????????????)???????????????????)??????L??????????????????)???????????????)%??????????????????)??????????????????????????)??????????????????L???????)'?e????????e???????????????(????$????????%?e???????????)???????????? ????????e?)??????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)????????????????????????)??????e????????????????)????e???????????????????????)??????????????????????????)Q???????????????????)????????????????????????)????????????????????e?????)????????????????????????)?????????Q????e??????????)???????????????????????()]???????M????????????)?????????????????????????)????????????????????????)????????????????????????)????????????????????????)????????????????????????)?????????????????????????)????????????????????????)?????????????????????)????????????????????e?????)??????????? ?????????????)????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????)????????????????)]???????????????)????????????????????????)?????????????????????)???????????????????????)?????????????????????????)???????????M???????)?????????????????????a????????d)??????????????????????????)??????????)Q?????????????????????)???????????????????????)????Q?????????????????????)????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????)??????????????????M??????)????????????????????????????)???????????????????????)Q??????????????????????????)????????????????????????)??????????????????????????)??????????????????????)Q??????????????????????)???????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)???????????????????????)?????????????????????)?????????????????????????)????????????????? ??????????)????????????L?????????????)??????????????????????????()?????((??((0

Clearview Midlands December 2013 - Issue 145 | Page 31