Clearview National February 2020 - Issue 219 | Page 10

INDUSTRYNEWS
Trading in luxury
Working alongside just one sibling might
be most people’s idea of hell, but for one
family - four brothers and one brother
in law to be exact - it has turned out to
be a match made in heaven, in Heywood.
Clearview caught up with Luxal’s Frank
Tate, one fifth of the business’ top table
to ask all about aluminium, speak sliding
doors, talk trade, and there was even
mention of a very exciting move…
» “THE FIRST THING A
visitor to our website sees is the
sentence ‘Where the trade come
for luxury windows and doors’,”
starts Frank. “It’s right there in
black and white [literally] and it
sets the tone for everything we
do here at Luxal.” To end the
article here would, true as it is,
do Frank and the team at Luxal
a huge disservice, because while
it’s absolutely accurate that is
what they do, there is much more
to know about this North West
manufacturer.
Firstly, the team have been
manufacturing premium
aluminium, doors, and bi-folds
for getting close to a quarter
of a century, secondly, Luxal is
“probably” Reynaers’ biggest
supplier in the UK, and thirdly,
the business is just about to
pack up its three units - with an
approximate total floor space of
24,000 sq ft - and relocate to one
single premises that is double the
size.
Established in 1998, Luxal
was formed by former installers,
meaning the team has the prior
knowledge of what is required on-
site when it comes to premium
product, and ease of installation.
In fact, with a motto of ‘costs
low, manufacturing lean, quality
high’ it’s something that many
companies strive for, but Luxal is
achieving with aplomb.
Frank says: “We offer
non-mainstream products at
mainstream prices, to trade
customers; from the builder
who might do one door every
six months to larger clients who
specialise in ‘Grand Designs’
projects. We have been through
all sorts of specifications, but we
believe that our current portfolio
is the best we’ve ever had. We also
make sure to have the sought-after
scale of good, better, best, all in the
Reynaers brand, so that installers
10 » F EB 2020 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
nationwide can benefit from our
expertise in manufacturing and
experience in installation.”
One product from the Luxal
portfolio that has proved popular
indeed, is the CP68 Premium
Aluminium Slimline Sliding
Door; designed by Reynaers
specifically for the replacement
and refurb market.
The CP68’s glazed-in system
and ultra slim sightlines are just
the ticket for homeowners that
want more ‘window’, than door;
with a 68mm outer frame and a
tiny 34mm meeting point. The
option of double or triple track
makes it ideal for huge openings
on larger extensions and popular
open plan living spaces; where the
homeowner can enjoy views of
the outside (and get to show off
their state of the art kitchens and
living rooms to passers by!)
The lack of beading wasn’t
popular with everyone from the
beginning, however, and Frank
admits that they did play around
with different ideas and options
before deciding that the CP68
really ticks all the boxes for
everyone concerned, and coupled
with an installation video of just
five steps in 15 minutes, and first-
fit on-site assistance if required,
not only is it the perfect fit for
stylish homeowners, it’s perfect
for fitters too.
“We send out a weekly email,”
continues Frank, “and just before
Christmas we included the link
to the CP68 installation tutorial
and so far it has had 2,375 views.
While we’re surprised the number
got so high so quickly, we aren’t
surprised that installers are
interested, because when you get
a product of that quality, from a
brand such as Reynaers, and it’s
easy to fit, and it’s affordable for
their customers, so easy to sell,
what’s not to like?”
Luxury - in all sectors - is
often associated with excess
and exaggeration, described
with overblown and outrageous
vocabulary. Luxal offers something
which would easily be worth the
hype and hyperbole, but chooses
to stay honest and humble, simple
and straight talking. Maybe it’s
because Frank and the team
started life as installers, maybe
it’s their proud Lancastrian roots,
or maybe when you’ve worked
with your brothers for 23 years,
you have no choice but to not get
carried away. Whatever the reason,
it’s working.
Find out more about Luxal,
and its products, including the
CP68 (with link to Installation
Tutorial) at www.luxal.co.uk
or for more information,
call 0203 00 22 088