Composite door manufacturer Vista Panels has increased its factory space by investing in a new 10,000 square foot unit at its Wirral-based site . It follows investment in an additional 8,000 square foot unit to assist with future proofing its supply chain process and mitigating raw material sourcing brought on by Covid-19 .

Business Development Manager Ian Smith comments : “ We ’ ve enjoyed a hugely successful first two quarters and this surge in sales is not showing any signs of slowing down , which is why we ’ ve now further invested in a new unit , allowing

us to really ramp up production of both our XtremeDoor composite doors and our uPVC panels . The new unit will help us continue that , keep up with production , and cut lead times to a minimum , something which is very difficult to achieve in the current economic climate .

“ Demand for high-quality composite doors is certainly set to continue , and with two factory expansions this year , we ’ re confident we ’ ll be able to keep up and deliver a fantastic service to our valued customers .”

www . vistapanels . co . uk

Window Ware has been successfully serving the window and door industry with leading brand hardware , tools , and consumables since 1987 , helping to ensure fabricator production lines keep moving and trade counter shelves stay stocked . Now , the leading hardware distributor is the latest big name to come on board as a sponsor for this year ’ s Glazing Summit .

Taking place on Thursday , October 21 at Edgbaston Stadium and Conference Centre , Birmingham , the Glazing Summit will welcome some of the industry ’ s biggest brands for a day of discussion and debate on the biggest issues facing the industry .

Window Ware ’ s MD Sam Nuckey , who spoke at the first Glazing Summit , said : “ After a year dominated by unique challenges and unprecedented demand , this is even more crucial than ever . The Glazing Summit provides the perfect stage to exchange ideas and experiences , and take stock

of the last 12 months , and we are looking forward to swapping stories and speaking to fabricators , installers , suppliers and glazing firms from across the country about industry trends and those challenges first-hand .”

www . glazingsummit . co . uk

Having built its reputation on developing low-cost glazing product websites and simple to use product designers , it has now added the option of an online shop which installers can purchase as a fully functioning e-commerce website or as an upgrade to their existing site .

Katie Phillips , Account Manager at Glazing Vault , says it ’ s the ideal product for installers , as well as fabricators and stockists who supply direct to self-builders and homeowners . She says : “ Adding an online shop gives installers another dimension to their online presence and a potentially valuable source of new business .

“ We all know that the pandemic has really accelerated the shift online and that ’ s

been reflected in soaring demand for our online lead generation products . However , it ’ s also transformed the online shopping market , with the 2021 Online Nation Report showing a massive 48 % increase in online shopping last year . For many consumers , buying online has now become their default option and , even as lockdown eases , businesses with no e-commerce capacity at all really are at risk of missing out .”

Glazing Vault has concentrated on making its new online shop option as easy to set up and use as its popular product designers . Customers can either choose the new website theme created specifically to be a stand-alone online shop , or they can add a bespoke online shop to their existing Glazing Vault website theme . Whichever

option they choose , they can populate their shop with their own products and prices and keep it updated themselves with stock availability and lead times .

The e-commerce store facility is also available as an option on bespoke website designs developed by Glazing Vault ’ s sister company The Consultancy .

Katie Phillips adds : “ This is all very well proven open-source technology which we know works seamlessly alongside customers ’ WordPress websites . It includes plug-ins for secure payments and is fully customisable . We provide all the support that customers need to get their shop set up in the first place and then give them the tools they need to keep it running smoothly .”

The first Glazing Vault customers to have launched their online shops are reporting even better than expected sales figures and positive feedback from buyers .

Demo store at : http :// woostore . glazingvault . com / and more details at : https :// www . glazingvault . com / and https :// www . theconsultancy . co . uk /