46 | FEBRUARY 2019
Business News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
GROWTH OF MAINTENANCE
DIVISION SIGNALS POSITIVE
YEAR FOR DORTECH
A brave decision made
during the toughest eco-
nomic conditions of the
past decade, has proven a
game-changer for a com-
mercial glazing specialist.
That’s the bold statement
made by James Suther-
land, managing director of
Yorkshire-headquartered
Dortech Group, as the busi-
ness prepares for a big year
of trading.
The company’s glazing
maintenance division is
forecast to almost double
its turnover to £1m in 2019,
which will take Dortech to
a £10m organisation overall.
The expansion – which
comes as a result of a grow-
ing reputation and complex
market conditions – has also
kickstarted a recruitment
drive and a £200,000 invest-
ment in the team’s Hudders-
field factory.
Dortech Architectural
Systems was established a
quarter of a century ago,
and has been designing,
manufacturing and installing
bespoke glazing solutions
ever since. But Dortech
Maintenance was formed in
2015 to help clients prolong
the lifespan of their existing
installations.
Keen to retain as many
staff as possible during this
difficult time, the man-
agement team therefore
focused their efforts on
diversification – and now
the maintenance division is
the fastest growing part of
the business.
Having completed pro-
jects for clients including
the NHS, Sheffield Busi-
ness Park and the Victoria
Mills residential complex in
Shipley – to name just a few
– the division has grown
from a team of four to one
with now eight aluminium
glazing specialists. The hunt
is also on for a further four
maintenance engineers over
the next 12-24 months.
MORLEY GLASS
LAUNCHES NEW
RETAIL BROCHURE
Morley Glass & Glazing, the UK’s largest
manufacturer of integral blinds, is offering
additional support to its customers with
the launch of an updated brochure for
its SL16S and SL16C product ranges.
The full colour 12-page brochure
provides a wealth of information on the
company’s latest integral blind systems,
which is the first of its kind to be suitable
for use in a 16mm cavity due to its slimline
10mm slats.
Within the brochure, you’ll find sections
covering the different control options and
colour choices, accompanied by a variety of
high-quality lifestyle images of the product
in action.
The SL16 range is ideal for use in compos-
ite doors and vertical sliding windows due
to its slimline 10mm slats, making it the first
integrated blind system that is suitable for
use in a 16mm cavity. The range includes the
slider controlled SL16S Venetian, as well as
the SL16C Venetian with cord control.
Both are currently only available in the UK
exclusively through Morley Glass & Glazing.
www.morleyglass.co.uk
LONG-SERVING PHIL HEAVEY
RETIRES AS ELUMATEC MD
Freefoam sales up in 2018
Freefoam, the leading roofline,
rainwater and cladding manufacturer
reports a strong increase in year-on-year
sales. The company says its impressive
performance is down to an innovative
product range and a policy of working
closely with customers to help them
grow.
“We’re delighted with 2018’s strong
results,” says Commercial Director, Colin
St. John. “They were achieved in a difficult
year for roofline and fenestration.
“Our mission is to help customers grow
and achieve success. It’s how we operate
our business. Freefoam has a clear stock-
ist-only policy and provides them with the
products, service, technical, commercial
and marketing support to help customers
build profitable businesses.
Colin adds: “We’ve made #HelpingCustom-
ersGrow our official policy because it’s what
we have always done, and it works. Our cus-
tomers continue to outperform their markets,
and when they grow, we grow. That’s true in
the UK and in France, Ireland and other coun-
tries in the EU. Twenty years ago, we invested
in our UK head office, factory and warehouse
and distribution centre in Northampton
and have continued to invest and expand it.
Regardless of the current political turmoil,
the work we’re doing together means that we
expect our customers and Freefoam to grow
strongly throughout 2019.”
www.freefoam.com
Phil Heavey, respected
Managing Director of
market-leading machinery
manufacturer elumatec, has
announced his retirement.
Over decades of hard
work and dedication, Phil
has played an integral role
in establishing elumatec as
one of Britain’s foremost
providers of quality profile
machining products.
He’s overseen exten-
sive growth, the launch
of dozens of best-in-class
machines, and built the
elumatec brand into one
of most prominent and
respected in UK glass and
glazing.
Phil officially stepped
down in December, and has
been succeeded as Manag-
ing Director by Neil Parton,
who joined the company
as Sales Director in March
2018.
However, from January,
Phil will continue to work
for elumatec as a part-
time consultant, primarily
focusing on the company’s
overseas subsidiaries, but
continuing to support the
UK team when required.
Marking ninety years in
business, elumatec is a lead-
ing machinery manufacturer
with a worldwide reputation
for excellence thanks to the
legendary build quality of
its products, and the huge
range of technical, support
and software services it can
offer.
www.elumatec.co.uk