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AluFold Direct latest sponsor on board for Glazing Summit
Delegates at this year ’ s Glazing Summit will be sporting a new brand on their lanyards – thanks to sponsorship from one of the industry ’ s leading aluminium fabricators .
AluFold Direct is the latest big name to lend its backing to the event , which returns to Edgbaston Stadium and Conference Centre , Birmingham on Thursday , October 21 .
The Blackburn-based company launched its new look in June and is using the Glazing Summit as part of its campaign to build awareness not just of the new identity but of what it stands for in the market .
Managing Director Russell Yates said : “ The Glazing Summit has quickly become one of the highest profile events in the industry calendar . It ’ s a hugely important event to understand what the future looks like and how we get there , even more so after the last 12 months .”
The day will feature a series of panel debates and discussions on the major issues and the best networking opportunities .
www . glazingsummit . co . uk
David Jackson
Adrian McGarry
Unique software to see Central customers boost sales
Excellent service has always been at the forefront of what Central Window Systems does , which is why the full solution fabricator has teamed up with a new and unique software to help its customers boost their profit margins .
Payaca is the only app of its kind to combine job management , customer finance options , and analytics for home improvement SMEs .
It helps small business owners level the playing field with bigger national firms by giving them the ability to create , send and track professional-looking invoices , collect
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Business
Apeer welcomes two new faces
Apeer , one of the UK ’ s leading composite door specialists , has welcomed two new members to their sales team .
David Jackson joins as Northern Regional Sales Manager , with responsibility to maintain Apeer ’ s existing accounts and develop the area with new growth business . He ’ s no stranger to the industry , having previously
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It helps small business owners level the playing field
’ worked at another of the UK ’ s largest door suppliers for nine years , initially as National Sales Manager before being given the responsibility of overseeing the South West region of England and Wales as the business grew .
Adrian McGarry joins as the new Area Sales Manager for IreIand , in his role to increase Apeer ’ s customer base and help grow the Apeer brand . While new to the
e-signatures , calculate profit margins and measure performance analytics . In addition , Payaca integrates with popular accounting platforms like Stripe , Xero and Quickbooks , allowing business owners to offer finance options to their customers .
“ Many homeowners are daunted by the large upfront costs of home improvement projects , so by being able to offer affordable finance options , our customers can win more jobs , increase their conversion rates , and boost their revenue ,” comments Central Window Systems Sales and Marketing Director Martyn Elwell .
www . centralwindowsystems . co . uk www . payaca . com composite door industry , Adrian has over 20 years ’ sales experience across a number of high-pressure , fast-moving industries – from selling chocolate in Ireland ’ s fastest moving territory of Dublin ’ s city centre , to the drinks industry where he sold bourbon , to , most recently , the tourism industry .
www . apeer . co . uk
HIGH STEEL & ALUMINIUM PRICES ARE HERE TO STAY
Industry needs a ‘ Reality check ’ warns Anglo European Boss
Paul Sullivan , the CEO of Anglo European Group , the UK ’ s largest supplier of steel and aluminium frame reinforcement for window and door fabricators , has warned that the widely reported increasing prices for steel and aluminium are here to stay and that other suppliers are playing this down .
Paul made his comments as reports continue to circulate about price rises in a broad range of commodities , including steel , aluminium and PVC-U resin , prompting suppliers to the window and door industry to impose surcharges on supplies : “ The cost of steel especially , will continue to climb for the foreseeable future and prices will remain high for the next 12 to 18 months at least . If prices cool at all , they will never return to pre-pandemic levels . To pass on these price rises as ‘ surcharges ’ gives a false impression that it is simply a short-term issue . We need a reality check .
“ Focusing on steel , the unparalleled volatility in global price rises is the result of a number of factors . These include the cost of iron ore , closure of a number of steel mills due to plummeting demand during the early stages of the pandemic and the permanent closure of others . Production curbs in China and a surge in consumer demand as the pandemic lifts in markets around the world are also contributing factors . Neither should we forget that whilst we in the UK are heading out of the pandemic , in many countries the disease is still surging . When these countries , such as Brazil and India for example , eventually recover then pressures on steel supply will further increase .
“ The unrealistically low prices of steel pre-pandemic have also contributed to the closure of some mills , and we are now paying the penalty for that . Steel is just one commodity that will face continued price volatility during the foreseeable future and the reluctance of suppliers throughout the supply chain to limit price rises to once or twice a year , may result in business failures ,” he said . “ This is the New World ; companies should be prepared to pass on these rises as they occur to their customers , including to homeowners at the end of the supply chain in our sector . That is crucial to ensure operating margins are not destroyed .”
It is not all bad news however , says Paul : “ At Anglo European we buy our steel months ahead to ensure continuity of supply for our customers with orders now placed for 2022 . Being unable to produce and sell product will be more disruptive than any price increases and window and door manufacturers must take that into account in their future planning .”
www . angloeuropeangroup . co . uk