Clearview National January 2018 - Issue 194 | Page 25

PROUD SPONSOR OF
INDUSTRY NEWS
ANNUALPREDICTIONS
A tale of two markets
» » IT’S BEEN A TOPSY-TURVY
year, driven by responses to
Brexit. However, the polarisation
of the market into two markets
continued: the growing numbers
of older, largely mortgage-free
homeowners who have the money
and desire to spend on their
homes (the Haves), and younger,
heavily mortgaged homeowners
who are barely managing (the
Have Nots). The premium
sector, which sells to the Haves
is growing strongly while the rest
of the market (the Have Nots) is
declining.
The Haves buy what they like,
when they like without worrying
about price. Their wants drive the
high end premium market. This is
particularly true of home security
products, where people pay extra
for products that offer true peace
of mind in the real world.
The growing customer demand
for quality service affects every
part of the supply chain. The
Solidor Group works hard to
achieve the highest standards at
every stage of production, recently
being awarded ISO 9001:2015 for
Quality Management by the BSI
(British Standards Institution).
Whatever happens to Brexit,
quality products and quality
service will be in demand, and
the premium end of the market
will continue to grow in 2018 and
beyond.
Gareth Busson, Solidor Group,
Head of Sales and Marketing
COLOURFUL YEAR AHEAD
» » “2018 PROMISES TO BE
another exciting year for AluK as
we roll out a series of new products
alongside our Luminia Select
Partners, including our F82 bi-fold
and SC156 sliding patio doors.
It will also see the official
opening of the new paint facility
at our Chepstow HQ, which
will put us further ahead of the
market in production capability.
While I think the market
overall will be fairly flat this
year, things are looking much
more positive for aluminium.
Obviously, we’re very dependent
on how consumer confidence
holds up in the face of the Brexit
challenge, but the latest Palmer
Report predicted growth for
aluminium of 20% by 2021 and
I’m very optimistic about the
opportunities for AluK and for
our customers.
That’s partly because, in the
F82 and the SC156, we will have
what I believe are the perfect
products to target the premium
sector of the market where most
of the growth is coming from.
And, it’s also because consumers
are starting to look beyond using
aluminium just for bi-folds and
we’re seeing rising demand for other
products including slim windows.
One of the other key trends
I’m expecting to see a lot more of
in 2018 is textured and metallic
finishes in aluminium, adding
another interesting new dimension
for customers in retail and
commercial sectors.”
Russell Yates,
Managing Director, AluK
GLAZING BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE
» » BREXIT, INFLATION, AND
the fluctuating value of the pound
has made 2017 an uncertain year
for the fenestration industry. But
at Purplex, we’re adamant that
glazing businesses can continue to
thrive throughout 2018.
The economy is still growing
– and the most recent budget
contained measures that are
bound to give construction a
boost.
Eliminating stamp duty for
first-time buyers will increase
demand for smaller, affordable
housing, while the government’s
increased housebuilding budget –
now £44bn – is likely to result in
a rise in the number of new-build
developments.
What’s more, home
improvement firms are set to
benefit from increasing interest
in renovation, spurred by
the introduction of a 100%
council tax chargeable on empty
properties.
At Purplex, we’ve seen several
new customers come on board
this year – many of whom are
looking to shore up their business
in the run-up to Brexit, and
increase their chances of winning
newly-available contracts through
brand positioning.
Our team looks forward to
supporting all our clients in
2018, and we believe we can
help them build their brands,
make more sales and grow
their businesses whatever the
economic outlook.
Andrew Scott, Managing
Director, Purplex Marketing
C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » J A N 2018 » 25