INDUSTRYNEWS
CELEBRATING 20TH ANNIVERSARY
MILITARY
COVENANT
COMMITMENT
»»FAST-GROWING FABRICATOR,
Warwick North West has become a
high-profile signatory of the Armed Forces
Covenant scheme.
The initiative aims to encourage
individuals, organisations and society as a
whole to support people who have served
in the forces as they return to civilian life,
including by encouraging the employment
of veterans and their partners, supporting
individuals who serve as reservists, and
giving the armed forces community a fair
deal when it comes to accessing goods and
services.
Liverpool-based Warwick becomes one
of over 800 businesses, charities and other
organisations to make the commitment,
a number that continues to grow all the
time.
“At Warwick, we’ve always been adamant
that it’s about more than just making money,”
said Company Director, Greg Johnson. “We
want to use the resources and influence that
we have as a successful business and a major
employer to do something worthwhile.
“There are some truly shocking
statistics about ex-service personnel and
unemployment, homelessness, mental health
problems and other issues, and it’s about
time that, as a society, we step up to do
something about it.”
The company also employs four paid
apprentices and served as one of the main
sponsors for a charity abseil.
www.warwicknorthwest.co.uk
16 » M AY 2016 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
»»2016 MARKS AN IMPORTANT
anniversary for South West home
improvement specialists, Heavers of Bridport,
as it celebrates 20 successful years, fabricating
and installing industry-leading PVCu window
and door systems from The VEKA UK
Group.
The family-run company, established by
master builder George Heaver, started life in
1960 as a general builders for Dorset, Devon
and Somerset. Heavers soon developed its
business, offering customers innovations such
as sliding patio doors and double glazing,
to separate itself from the competition.
Today, the business mainly comprises the
manufacture and installation of windows,
doors and conservatories from The VEKA
UK Group alongside a range of other home
improvements.
“We’ve always prided ourselves on being the
best,” comments Managing Director, Malcolm
Heaver, George’s son, “and that includes
offering the best products. We started working
with VEKA in 1996 and we’ve not looked
back since!
“What The VEKA UK Group offers that
other systems providers fail to match is products
that customers aspire to have in their homes,
consistently high quality, and real support for
fabricators and installers. We joined Network
VEKA at the same time as becoming a VEKA
customer and now, 20 years on, we’re still loyal
to both organisations.”
www.vekauk.com
Consumer spending rise,but skills
shortages could stifle growth
»»INSTALLERS ARE WIDELY
confident about the industry in 2016, and
expect consumer spending to continue
to increase. However, issues such as skills
shortages are holding some companies back
and throttling investment and growth.
These findings come from the much
anticipated annual Consumer Protection
Association installer barometer. The CPA
commissioned Insight Data to carry out the
survey, which asked over 12,000 installers
a series of questions on their business
performance and expectations for the
industry.
When polled about how business
performance in 2015 compared to 2014,
48% said profit margins had increased, with
39% saying they had stayed the same and
10% saying they had decreased. Looking
forwards, installers are upbeat about the
industry for 2016. 74% expect growth across
the industry, compared to just 3% who
don’t, and 61% expect consumer spending
on home improvements to increase this year,
with 39% saying they expect it to stay the
same.
Businesses are already facing issues finding
workers with the skillsets they need and
it seems this trend is likely to continue,
which could make growth difficult for those
looking to invest.
*Not all figures will add up to 100%
because there was the option to answer n/a
for some questions.